Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, has announced that he will not stand for the leadership of his party, saying it risks becoming out of touch with the public over Brexit and leaving Vince Cable the only declared candidate so far.

Lamb has been the party’s spokesman on health issues, and championed the manifesto policy of putting 1p on income tax to fund the NHS and social care.

In an article in the Guardian signalling that he would not stand against Cable, he said a gruelling campaign to avoid losing his own seat to the Conservatives had convinced him that his party needed to change.

“I found myself sympathising with those who felt that the party was not listening to them and was treating them with some disdain,” he said.



He urged his colleagues, many of whom are among the most ardent remainers, to try to understand the concerns of voters sceptical about the European Union.

“We need to understand why so many people get frustrated with remote power – something that Liberals should understand. The EU is too often dysfunctional and sclerotic. Yet progressive internationalists have been reluctant to admit this. While we have always recognised the need for reform of the EU, the Liberal Democrats have been perceived as being too tolerant of its failings,” he said.



Lamb also suggested Lib Dems should be prepared to work with other parties in order to secure the least damaging Brexit. “The public will not forgive the political class if we fail to understand the changed circumstances of a parliament with no majority,” he said. “We don’t need an early election. We need a new style of politics.”

Lamb defied the party whip on Brexit, abstaining on the article 50 vote instead of voting against, a decision for which he was criticised by some colleagues.

“I abstained on article 50 because I felt it was wrong in principle to vote against, given that we had all voted to hold the referendum in the first place. For many in the party that abstention was an act of betrayal,” he said, but insisted he had gone against his party on a matter of principle.

The Lib Dems increased their number of MPs at Westminster from nine to 12 at the election; but they lost seats including Nick Clegg’s Sheffield Hallam and Richmond Park, won just months earlier by Sarah Olney.

The leadership contest was triggered after Tim Farron said he would step down following the party’s failure to make as much progress as he had hoped at the general election, and a series of punishing interviews about his personal views on issues including homosexuality.

Farron said he had found “remaining faithful to Christ” incompatible with leading his party.

Cable, a former business secretary, is now regarded as the frontrunner, after Jo Swinson also declined to stand, instead becoming the party’s new deputy leader.

Ed Davey, another former minister from the 2010-15 coalition who won his seat back, is yet to declare his intentions.