General Election: Tim Farron wins Westmorland and Lonsdale seat

Mr Farron has been elected as MP for a sixth time after first coming to power in 2005.

Mr Farron won with 31,061 votes with Conservative candidate Matty Jackman coming second with 9,589 votes. In third place was Reform UK candidate James Townley, who received 4,842 votes.

Westmorland and Lonsdale results (Image: Newsquest)

Labour candidate Pippa Smith received 2,306 votes, Green Party candidate Phil Clayton came fifth with 1,486 votes and independent candidate John Studholme came sixth with 111 votes.

Izzy Solabarrieta, standing for the Heritage party, came seventh with 81 votes and Social Democrat candidate Wendy Long received 57 votes.

In total 49,646 ballots were cast, meaning there was a turnout in the constituency of 68.9 per cent.

Speaking after being elected MP, Mr Farron told the local democracy service it was a ‘proper honour’ to have the chance to serve the area for the next few years.

He added: “I’m thoroughly delighted. I don’t hide it from anyone that this is a vocation that I’m thrilled to do. It’s an opportunity to genuinely serve people to get your hands dirty with issues both large and small.”

The Liberal Democrat candidate was first made MP for the area in 2005 and was re-elected in 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2019 before winning 62.6 per cent of the vote on July 4.

The new constituency encompasses parts of the former Penrith and Border constituency such as Kirkby Stephen and Appleby where the Conservative candidate Neil Hudson won 60.4 per cent of the vote in the 2019 general election.

Mr Farron said: “For 20,000 of my constituents this the first time I’ve been their MP and it’s the first time anyone apart from a Conservative has been their MP since before the first world war so that is a particular honour and I aim to go and earn it.”

The MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale will represent towns and villages including Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Coniston, Staveley, Grange, Cartmel, Bowness, Appleby, Kirkby Stephen and Tebay.

Conservative candidate Matty Jackman remained upbeat despite conceding it had been a ‘tough night’ for Conservatives across the country.

Matty Jackman

Mr Jackman said: “It’s been a fantastically positive campaign by the Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservatives and myself; I’m really proud of the offer we gave to people.”

“For all those that backed me and indeed for all those that backed other candidates we are here as an option to help you in our constituency”, he added.

Reform UK candidate James Townley came third in the vote and said he was ‘very happy’ with his result.

He added: “We’re only in first gear, I’m going to be here for next time, I’m coming back with strength and I’m hoping to do a lot better.”