FORMER Conservative Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Collins will not stand for re-election after losing his seat to Liberal Democrat Tim Farron in May 5's General Election, reports Andy Bloxham.

Mr Collins, 40, who represented the constituency for eight years, said he intended to take a break from politics.

When a visibly shaken Mr Collins first spoke of his narrow loss, shortly after 5am last Friday, he said he was "surprised as well as disappointed".

Mr Farron, 34, won the seat by a mere 267 votes after a tense recount. He polled 22,569 votes to Mr Collins's 22,302.

Mr Farron said: "I'm extremely proud. It's an inormous honour. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to serve, if that's not too corny."

Nationally, Labour won a third term of office with 356 seats. The Conservatives took 197 seats and the Lib Dems 62.

Mr Collins wrote: "When you lose by such a tiny margin, you are always bound to berate yourself for a whole range of things which, if done slightly differently, might have produced another outcome. Believe me, I will do that."

He acknowledged Mr Farron's "vigorous campaign" and congratulated him on his victory.

He said he would move out of his rented flat close to the House of Commons by the end of this week and return to South Lakeland.

Westmorland and Lonsdale was one of the highest-profile changes nationwide, as the former shadow education minister was toppled after his party had held the seat since 1910.

Mr Collins's withdrawal from politics, which saw him take two top jobs in the shadow cabinet with the portfolios first for transport then for education, has plunged the local Tories into a search for a new candidate.

Geoff Robson, chairman of the Westmorland and Lonsdale Conservative Association, said the party would consider all candidates and encourage women and people from ethnic minorities to apply.

He said the ideal candidate would be au fait with farming and tourism and be aware of the needs of an elderly population.

Mr Robson said the loss of the seat to the Lib Dems had "dented the pride" of the Conservatives: "We didn't look at the possibility of Tim losing."

Conservative Cumbria County Councillor Roger Bingham said he was confident the party would bounce back: "Westmorland and Lonsdale will return to the Conservative fold when we've found a new shepherd and reorganised our flock."

See News - Election for a full report of election night and County Council election round-up.