Tim Farron interview: what I will do as Lib Dem leader

Tim Farron is a confident man. By this time Thursday, he will be announced as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats — if the bookies are to be believed. Ladbrokes currently say he is a ‘huge odds-on certainty’ to win at 1/33, compared to 12/1 for his rival Norman Lamb. Farron graced the front seat of my Mini this morning to discuss his agenda as leader.

His first job on Friday morning is to underline the point that Lib Dems can no longer be orientated around representation in parliament. ‘Organisationally for the Liberal Democrats, the leader’s office has traditionally been in Westminster in the Houses of Parliament,’ he says. ‘Frankly it shouldn’t be, so the leaders office with me will move over to HQ’. Then, Farron will move onto the large task to ‘rebuild the movement’ and make the party’s voice in opposition heard.

‘That is all part and parcel of trying to make sure that we communicate that very simple message so amongst the things that we’ll be doing very quickly is getting across a message that is not nuanced but is all about challenging this government on the things and providing more hopeful, more colourful and more exciting alternatives.