After election drubbing, Britain's struggling Liberal Democrats elect Tim Farron as new leader

FILE - This is a July 1, 2015 file photo of Liberal Democrat Party politician Tim Farron, speaking in Birmingham England. Britain's centrist Liberal Democrats on Thursday July, 16, 2015 elected Tim Farron, as the party's new leader. (David Jones/PA File Via AP) (The Associated Press)

LONDON – Britain's centrist Liberal Democrat party has elected Tim Farron — one of eight Lib Dem lawmakers remaining after an electoral drubbing in May — as the party's new leader.

The party announced Thursday that Farron had received 19,137 votes from party members compared to 14,760 for rival Norman Lamb.

Farron faces the task of rebuilding a decimated, demoralized party. The Liberal Democrats were the junior party in Britain's Conservative-led government from 2010 to May 2015 — alienating many supporters who saw the party back policies it had previously opposed, including higher university tuition fees.

Britain's May 7 national election reduced the Lib Dems from 56 seats in Parliament to eight. Most of the party's best-known figures lost their seats and former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg resigned as party leader.