Tim Farron or Norman Lamb – who will be the next Liberal Democrat leader after Nick Clegg resigns?

The number of MPs the party has to choose from is now limited

(Getty Images)

Following the collapse of Liberal Democrat support and Nick Clegg's resignation who is in the running to become the new party leader?

With so few MPs to choose from, the choice of a new Liberal Democrat leader is likely to be a contest between two men – Tim Farron and Norman Lamb.

Former party heavyweights, Vince Cable, Danny Alexander and Ed Davey have all lost their seats in the election, which saw the Liberal Democrat vote share fall to single figures.

Tim Farron, a former president of the Liberal Democrats, managed to hang on to his Westmorland and Lonsdale seat in the northwest with a reduced majority. The MP has been a member of the education select committee since his election in 2005 and is a practising Christian.

Norman Lamb

The care minister Norman Lamb may be the next Liberal Democrat leader (Getty)

The Norfolk North MP, Norman Lamb, is down to a 4,043 majority, but remains in Parliament, mainly due to the personal following he has in his constituency. The politician was appointed minister for care and support in 2012 and was parliamentary private secretary to Nick Clegg at the beginning of the Coalition Government.

Other politicians who held their seats and have a slim chance of winning any leadership challenge are the 44-year-old Greg Mulholland, who represents Leeds North West, and Alistair Carmichael, the MP for the Orkney and Shetland islands.