NEW Liberal Democrat party leader Tim Farron has announced his first shadow cabinet.

Before the South Lakes MP was elected he said he hoped former leader Nick Clegg would take on a new role in the party.

But the Sheffield MP's name is the most high profile missing from the list.

A spokesman for Mr Farron's office said: "Tim was keen that he should have a role but understands that Nick needs sometime to step back.

"Nick considered the opportunity for some time, but on balance decided he wanted to take a quieter role on the back benches.

"He wanted to allow Tim the space to lead the party in his own direction, without the former leader in a front bench position. Tim hope’s Nick will accept a role later in the Parliament."

The spokesperson team includes 12 women and 10 men to lead the fight back against the Tory government.

Mr Farron has also chosen a team from both inside Parliament and out, from across the United Kingdom, and from people who served in Government and those who didn’t.

On making the announcement he said:

“I am delighted to be able to announce my team of party spokespeople.  The team I am announcing today is the Liberal voice that Britain desperately needs. It features some of the best campaigners that the party has, balanced with the experience and economic credibility that our party has developed over the last five years in government.

“It was important to me to be able to call on the advice and experience of people at all levels of our party and I believe we have an excellent team to lead the Lib Dem fight back. Together, we will take our ideas, our values and our liberal messages to every corner of Britain. We will make the case for housing, immigration, Europe, environmentalism and human rights.”

The full spokesperson team is:

Leader: Tim Farron MP
Economics: Baroness Susan Kramer 
Foreign Affairs/Chief Whip/Leader of the house: Tom Brake MP
Defence: Baroness Judith Jolly 
Home Affairs: Alistair Carmichael MP
Health: Norman Lamb MP
Education: John Pugh MP
Work and Pensions: Baroness Zahida Manzoor
Business: Lorely Burt
Energy and Climate Change: Lynne Featherstone 
Local Government: Mayor of Watford, Cllr Dorothy Thornhill 
Transport: Baroness Jenny Randerson 
Environment and Rural Affairs: Baroness Kate Parminter 
International Development: Baroness Lindsay Northover 
Culture Media and Sport: Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter
Equalities: Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece
Justice/Attorney General: Lord Jonathan Marks 
Northern Ireland: Lord John Alderdice 
Scotland: Willie Rennie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats
Wales: Kirsty Williams AM, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
Campaigns Chair: Greg Mullholland MP
Grassroots Campaigns: Cllr Tim Pickstone, Chief Executive of the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors