16 October 1959

Happy birthday to Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills

Born in Surrey, Tessa Munt was educated at Reigate County School for Girls and Sutton High School. Before entering parliament, she worked in a variety of jobs including for the Midland Bank, South Essex College and as a personal assistant to England and Middlesex cricketer Phil Edmonds. Munt joined the Labour Party in the early 1990s but moved to the Liberal Democrats in 1999. She stood in South Suffolk in the 2001 election and contested the Ipswich by-election later the same year. Selected to contest Wells, she gained second place at the 2005 election and won the seat in 2010 with a majority of 800. She served as a party whip 2010-12 and as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Vince Cable 2012-15. Out of parliament in 2015 Munt was elected to Somerset County Council, defeating the then council leader and served in the council cabinet. Tessa Munt returned to parliament in 2024 for the new seat of Wells and Mendip Hills and is currently a member of the Administration and Justice Select Committees.