SPCK to publish 'gripping' Tim Farron memoir on politics and faith

SPCK has signed ex-Lib Dem leader Tim Farron’s “gripping” autobiography, detailing how he balanced being a Christian and a Liberal during his political career.

Publishing director Philip Law secured world rights from Pieter Kwant of the Piquant agency. A Better Ambition: Confessions of a faithful liberal will be published in hardback on 3rd September.

The book chronicles the period from Farron’s first year as an MP in 2005 until the present day, taking in his leadership of the party from 2015 to 2017. The synopsis explains: “He tells of secret behind-the-scenes meetings, excitement and apprehension ahead of the decision to go into coalition, of exhausting campaign trails and nerve-wracking election counts, of the uphill battle faced by the Liberal Democrats to build morale and confidence in the party, of his hopes and fears for the future of the party and for post-Brexit Britain, and much more. Along the way, he also explores the relationship between Liberalism and Christianity, and talks for the first time about the impact that leadership has had on him personally.”

Law said he was honoured to have landed the memoir, adding: “Human, funny and gripping - the book gives some rare insights into life as a leader of a major party while also providing an insider’s view of the defining events in British politics over the past decade. A vital part of our strategy at SPCK is to publish more books for readers who are concerned about the place of faith in politics, especially those who believe it’s important to protect a genuinely open and liberal public square. This book is a major contribution to our national debate."

Farron said SPCK had given him the freedom to write a different kind of autobiography. He said: “Being the kind of nerd who keeps a diary turns out to have been worthwhile after all! This is a memoir but, I hope, not a traditional one. I've tried to give the reader an insight into the coalition, the referendum and the 2017 election - but I've sought to do it from a very personal perspective of being both a Christian and a Liberal. And the book will include archive photos of me in my band - it may be worth buying it for that alone.”