Border Tim Farron MP

There are renewed cals for a Northern relief road to ease congestion in Kendal following a closure of around 10 hours on the M6 (Thursday 4 January), after a lorry overturned on the southbound carriageway.

It happened between junctions 37 and 36 near Killington, just after 11am. The road remained closed until 10pm, bringing severe traffic to the A6 from Shap into Kendal.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron posted on Twitter to stress the urgency for the new bypass:

Following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission into mental health wards run by the Cumbria Partnership NHS Trust, South Lakes MP, Tim Farron, has said that improvements are mainly needed in staffing and not the physical space.

The report found that a number of the wards 'required improvement'.

The MP who in 2016 campaigned to keep the Kentmere ward at Westmorland General Hospital open, says it is well maintained.

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has this morning officially launched his campaign to become leader of the Liberal Democrats.

He was re-elected last week with a majority of 8,949, and claims that since then he has received hundreds of messages urging him to stand to be leader of his party.

But he says he is keen to stress the move will not distract him from his constituency work, stating ‘Westmorland is my home and will always be my top priority’.

Following the announcement asking for Cumbria's Temporary Chief Constable to 'retire or resign', Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has asked to see all of the evidence:

Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron has called for a ban on Chinese lanterns following a huge fire at a recycling plant in Smethwick, which caused £6 million worth of damage:

Calls by the Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron for a ban on Chinese lanterns have been played down by Downing Street, in the wake of the Smethwick fire.

"The actual number of fires caused by Chinese lanterns is very small," a No 10 spokesman said.

"It is important that we always ensure that there is a proportionate response to any event and we always look at safety matters and make sure they are kept at the top of our concerns."

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has called the allegations "shocking" and said it is one of the worst things he has seen in his lifetime:

Rural schools in our region are relieved after the government backed down over changes to their funding.

Plans to give all schools a lump sum per pupil were criticised because smaller schools could suffer.

Now the government says councils will be able to be more flexible with funding, taking into account rural schools that need more support.

Cumbrian MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news: