Tim Farron’s a man of conviction and a risk-taker. That’s why he got my vote

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/17/tim-farron-lib-dems-clegg-hope

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Tim Farron, the man I backed in the Lib Dem leadership contest, has won comfortably, thankfully, even though there was no great philosophical or personality gulf between the candidates in contrast to the prolonged Labour battle. (I rather hope Jeremy Corbyn will win that one – not just because I like and respect him, but because it will provide a clearer opening for the Liberal Democrats.)

Norman Lamb would have been a safer pair of hands in contrast to Farron’s more bull-in-a china-shop approach to politics, and he had a good track record as a health minister. But he suffered from being identified as inevitably embedded in the late coalition, whereas Farron had a more independent track record – part of the Social Liberal Forum, voting against the about-turn on student fees and against the bedroom tax and, perhaps more important, against replacing the Trident missile system. We were lucky to have a choice between two such high quality candidates.

Related: Tim Farron wins Lib Dem leadership contest, with 56% of the vote - Politics live

Farron’s image is far removed from that of the Cameron/Clegg public schoolboy, not that I am saying anything against that. He was brought up in a northern housing estate, and I first met him as a student at Newcastle University where he ran the Liberal society during my time as party leader. After fighting a safe Labour seat and being elected as a councillor he contested Westmorland and Lonsdale in 2001, reducing the majority of the rightwing Tory MP Tim Collins, and in 2005 won it, by just 267 votes. His impressive building of a good constituency machine led to him increasing his majority in 2010 to over 12,000, and that is one of the reasons I decided to back him for leader.

He twice inveigled me into addressing his constituency annual (and fundraising) dinner, saying inaccurately: “We are just over the border from you.” I pointed out that it was a 200-mile round trip, but the experience reinforced my support for his energy and enthusiasm.

I was surprised during the campaign to find him under fire for being an evangelical Christian – something which almost certainly means I shall not always agree with his views, but I find it refreshing to see a political leader whose outlook is influenced by committed conviction, and I am sure that will carry with much of the public as well.

One of the roles of the leader is to stress our commitment to Liberal values. As is known, I have not always been one of Nick Clegg’s most fervent leadership admirers, but just before the general election he came to a dinner at the National Liberal Club being held to mark the 50th anniversary of my election to parliament, and he made a magnificent speech on the subject of Liberal values.

Freedom is worth fighting for. And decency is worth fighting for

During the election itself, when I found the dreary issues failing to shift our low opinion poll ratings, I sent a message to campaign HQ urging them to get Nick to repeat that speech. I don’t know if he ever got the message, but the next time I heard it was in his dignified resignation address. And that really worked. Thousands have joined the party since our crushing defeat. It reminded me of what my late friend Colin Eglin (leader of the Progressive party in South Africa) said after a similar cruel defeat in 1987: “There will be people who ask ‘what’s the use?’. Let me say in response to this cry of frustration that certain things are worth fighting for. Justice is worth fighting for. Freedom is worth fighting for. And decency is worth fighting for. The commitment to fight for these things should never depend on the perceived prospect of electoral success.”

That level of deep commitment which Farron obviously has, combined with his organisational skills and northern public persona, has all the ingredients of a successful leadership. I speak as one who sat in a gloomy Commons party of six after the 1970 election debacle, three of us clinging to majorities under 1000. It took time, but we turned that round, and went on both to increase our numbers and form the significant Alliance with the SDP and eventually the new united party, which at elections under Paddy Ashdown, Charles Kennedy and Clegg reached new heights of public support. The same can happen again.

A colleague said to me during this contest: “But isn’t Farron a bit risky?” I responded that that may be so, but what the party needs at this time is a risk-taker, not afraid to revisit more traditional Liberal policies – on Trident, on Europe, on industrial democracy, on land value taxation, on the pursuit of a more just society, and on the need for a federal constitution including a new upper house.

It will be a long and at times painful journey, but with Tim Farron inspiring and leading it I see grounds for real hope and optimism.