DeHavilland Briefing Note Liberal Democrat Leadership Contest Introduction After a dramatic rise to power in 2010, the Liberal Democrats were abruptly and dramatically cast aside by the electorate this May, losing 49 MPs.

With Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg having offered his immediate resignation, the devastated former third party, consigned to the margins for the 2015 Parliament, has commenced the contest for a new figurehead.

Process The Liberal Democrat leadership process looks to be a shorter and simpler affair than the Labour leadership election also taking place this summer.

It will follow the same procedure employed to elect Nick Clegg to the leadership in 2007.

Just two months in duration, it will draw on a diminished field of candidates after most of the party’s senior figures lost their Parliamentary seats.

This means that ousted individuals such as Energy Secretary Ed Davey, who had previously been cited as a potential future leader of the party, will be unable to stand.

To make the ballot, candidates (who must be MPs) need to achieve the support of 200 members from 20 local Liberal Democrat organisations, as well as ten per cent of the Parliamentary Party – although in practice this latter requirement will be moot as only eight MPs remain.

The voting will be conducted by post, and will take place under the Alternative Vote system.

Voting is open to anybody who is a member of the party at 4pm on Wednesday 3 June, the date when nominations close.

Official hustings will be coordinated, and other organisations are also free to hold events. Ballot papers will be mailed out with a “personal election address” of up to two pages from each candidate.

The new Liberal Democrat Leader will be announced on 16 July. DeHavilland Briefing The Candidates Tim Farron Former President of the Liberal Democrats Tim Farron was arguably the party’s most visible figure in the media in the days following its election trouncing. He has subsequently announced his candidacy for Leader of the Party.

Since this time, the Westmorland and Lonsdale MP has emphasised the need for harmony even as he competes to win the role, and has also declared that the Liberal Democrats will seek to return as an electoral force. “The specific job we are looking at requires rebuilding and inspiration”, he has commented.

The paper has described him as the forerunner in the contest, pointing to his grassroots favourability, enduring constituency support and outspoken opposition to tuition fees – a lightning rod issue for discontentment with the most recent incarnation of the Liberal Democrats.

He was highlighted by some contenders as a possible leadership challenger even before the election, though this was rebuffed by Business Secretary Vince Cable, who publicly commented that he was not seen as sufficiently credible given his lack of Government experience. But given the public response to the Liberal Democrats’ record in power, this outsider status could now be seen as a positive attribute.

The Guardian has received a letter signed by more than 100 Liberal Democrats who stood as PPCs at the 2015 General Election, calling for Mr Farron to be chosen as the party’s new leader. This comes in addition to the declared support of the Welsh and Scottish branches of the party. The letter’s signatories argued that Mr Farron was best-positioned to guide the rebuilding of the Liberal Democrats. Norman Lamb The other serious contender for the party leadership is fellow Commons survivor Norman Lamb, who served as Care and Support Minister under the Coalition Government.

With a centrist reputation, he also boasts close past links to former Leader Nick Clegg, having served as a ministerial aide to the Deputy Prime Minister during his first two years in office.

A former employment lawyer, Mr Lamb became MP for North Norfolk after gaining both professional and political experience in local government.

Upon announcing his candidacy, he declared: “It’s a monumental task, but I am up for it”.

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