New Liberal Democrat leader to be chosen before Parliament breaks for summer
The contest is expected to be fought between Tim Farron (pictured) and Norman Lamb, the former health minister

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Your support makes all the difference.The man with the daunting challenge of rebuilding the shattered Liberal Democrat party will be chosen before Parliament breaks up for summer.
Demoralised party chiefs have drawn some comfort from receiving more than 5,000 new members since only eight of its MPs survived its election nightmare.
The contest is expected to be fought between Tim Farron, the former party president, and Norman Lamb, the former health minister.
The former Scottish Secretary, Alistair Carmichael, ruled himself out of the running to succeed Nick Clegg.
He said: “We have a big rebuilding task ahead of us and I want to play my part in that but I don’t think I’m the right man to lead the party.”
Under the leadership election timetable announced yesterday, nominations will open on Wednesday.
Contenders have to secure the endorsement of ten per cent of the parliamentary party, which means they can nominate themselves. They also need to win the backing of 200 members from at least 20 local Liberal Democrat parties.
Their names will now be put to the wider membership, with the winner announced on July 16 before the Commons rises. The winner will then be in post in time for the party conference in September.
The Leeds North West MP, Greg Mulholland, called for the contest to take place more quickly. He said: “We must not, and will not, wait till July to have a new leader in place. We need strong leadership now.”
Baroness Sal Brinton, the Lib Dem president, said: “We’ve had a tradition of fighting back from pretty difficult positions and we already have the evidence for it.
“In the last 48 hours since the polls closed over 5,000 people have joined the party and the numbers are going up as we speak.”
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