On This Day

09 June 2010

Simon Hughes is elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats

The previous incumbent, Vince Cable, had resigned on his appointment as Business Secretary in the newly formed coalition government. There was one other candidate in the contest, Tim Farron the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale. After a short campaign Hughes received the votes of 38 of the party’s MPs to Farron’s 18 with one abstention. Hughes served until January 2014 when he resigned, following his appointment as a government minister.