This blog has been quiet recently for a number of reasons – the most obvious being resting and recovering from the election campaign and dealing with the challenges of the many new members that joined immediately after that.

I have, though, been meaning to write for a while – and following yesterday’s election of Tim Farron as the new leader of the Liberal Democrats, today seems as good a day as any in which to relaunch!

Following a two-month contest, Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, was announced as the winner on social media before speaking a rally of party activists carried live on both the BBC and Sky News channels.

He said that under his leadership, the party would oppose the cuts to tax credits and other benefits in the Conservative’s budget and push for greater spending on infrastructure such as transport and broadband. In his first speech as leader, Tim said

If you care about human rights: join us.

If you think you shouldn’t have your emails snooped on: join us.

‎If you think everyone deserves a decent home: join us.

If you think it is wrong to demonise immigrants, the young, the poor, foreigners, Brussels, the English, the Scots: join us.

If you are fed up of self-satisfied politicians, ambitious for themselves and unambitious for their country, then guess what – you are a Liberal. Embrace that diagnosis, it is an utterly British and decent condition so join us. Join us today.

You can watch Tim’s inspirational speech here.

These principles are at the heart of what drives the Liberal Democrats, our members and activists. More than ever Britain needs a party that will stand up for what we believe in, so we’re continuing our fightback and I’m asking local residents to be part of it.

There has never been a more important – or exciting – time to join the party. Across the country since the General Election 17,000 people have joined the party, and here in Bristol hundreds of people have signed up – keen to be involved and help the Liberal Democrats fight back.

You can join online on our website, here.