Adam Dance is the Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Dance received 23,765 votes (48.5%). The Conservative candidate, Marcus Fysh, polled 11,497 votes (23.5%), while the Reform UK candidate, Laura Bailhache, secured 7,677 votes (15.7%). Dance was duly elected with a majority of 12,268.

The Yeovil constituency is located in Somerset, South West England. The seat was held by the Conservative Party from 1918 to 1983, when it was won by the Liberal Party. Paddy Ashdown represented the seat for the Liberal and then the Liberal Democrats from 1983 to 2001. David Laws then represented the seat for the Liberal Democrats from 2001 to 2015, when it was regained by the Conservatives.

Dance’s immediate predecessor as the MP for Yeovil was Marcus Fysh of the Conservative Party. Fysh held the seat from 2015 to 2024.

Political Career

In September 2025, Dance introduced a private members’ bill (PMB) under the 10-minute rule procedure to reform the screening of neurodivergence in primary schools.

Speaking in the commons, Dance addressed his own experience with dyslexia and ADHD, telling MPs that “school was hard for me, and that is putting it lightly”.

Dance argued that neurodivergence should be viewed through a positive lens, stating: “Neurodivergence is not a weakness, a condition or a flaw – I want to make that crystal clear.”

The Neurodivergence (Screening and Teacher Training) Bill called for statutory training for teachers to help them identify and support children with neurodivergent traits.

Dance stated that existing literacy assessments were insufficient for identifying the broader range of neurodivergent traits in young children.

He said: “We have the phonics screener, but this test does not cover all the areas that neurodiverse people may struggle and need support with, such as attention control or working memory. Evidence also suggests that neurodiverse children can just memorise the words for the test, meaning that their actual needs may be overlooked.”

Dance explained: “The screening should not be about labels but about creating a profile of strengths and weaknesses.”

He added: “This bill is about empowering teachers to do what they signed up for and care deeply about – namely, educating and supporting all their pupils.”

In March 2025, Dance was joined by chef and author Jamie Oliver in calling for action to improve dyslexia support for children across the UK.

Dance is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (vice chair) and missing children and adults.

Dance delivered his maiden speech on 5 November 2024 in a debate on the budget.

In it, he said: “The Yeovil constituency is not just about helicopters. Chard is home to Numatic, the birthplace of Henry – everyone’s favourite vacuum cleaner – and his friends. John Stringfellow flew the first powered aircraft over Chard in 1848.

“In 1979, the Woodscrew Supply Company started in Yeovil, which became Screwfix in 1992, the year in which I was born. Last Friday, I visited the headquarters of Screwfix, which now has more than 900 stores nationally.”

He added: “I say to young people everywhere, ‘Don’t let the system put you down.’ They should not let anyone tell them that if they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or dyslexia – I have both – they need to find suitable work, as they will not make anything of their lives otherwise.

“With good teachers – I had several excellent ones, including one who is in the gallery – I have made it up through the political system, to the top representative role for around 100,000 people in my constituency. If I can make it, so can everyone else.”

Before entering parliament, Dance served extensively in local government. He served as a member of South Somerset District Council from 2015 to 2023 and Somerset County Council from 2017 to 2022.

Dance was elected as a member of Somerset Council in May 2022.

Political views

The Liberal Democrats (or Lib Dems) are a liberal political party, occupying the centre to centre-left ground in British politics.

The preamble to the Lib Dem constitution begins: “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.”

The Liberal Democrat autumn conference in 2021 ratified a policy paper entitled What Liberal Democrats Believe. The paper, an attempt to expand on the constitution’s preamble, was framed around seven “principles and values”.

The party’s core values were described as “liberty, equality, democracy, community, internationalism and environmentalism.”

Brexit and Europe

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Dance voted in favour of the UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill. The bill, introduced under the 10-minute rule procedure by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, sought to mandate the government to enter into negotiations with the European Union to establish a bespoke customs union. In total, 13 Labour MPs joined the Liberal Democrats in supporting the motion, while the majority of the party abstained.

Electoral reform

Proportional representation bill: In December 2024, Dance voted in favour of the Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill – introduced by Liberal Democrat frontbencher Sarah Olney under the 10-minute rule procedure. The bill sought to “introduce a system of proportional representation for parliamentary elections and for local government elections in England”.

A total of 138 MPs supported the bill – with 136 opposed. Notably, 59 Labour MPs backed Olney’s bill.

Introducing the bill, Olney told the House: “First past the post is a broken and unfair system. This summer, the Labour party won a landslide election victory, securing 63% of seats in the House of Commons in return for just 34% of the vote.

“The system leaves millions of voices unheard and creates a divisive, adversarial political climate where collaboration is discouraged and accountability is often sidestepped.”

Assisted dying

Dance voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Dance voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Palestine

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Dance was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Before Politics

Born Adam James Dance on 13 June 1992, he attended Stanchester Academy. He subsequently studied construction and landscape gardening at Taunton College and Yeovil College.

Dance went on to start his own landscape gardening business and graduated from Warwick Business School in 2023.

Personal Life

Dance was diagnosed with severe dyslexia and ADHD when he was at primary school.

In 2024, PinkNews listed Dance among a number of out LGBTQ+ parliamentarians.

Trivia

Dance cites former Yeovil MP and Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown as his political inspiration.

Dance’s campaign launch in March 2024 was attended by former Liberal Democrat MPs David Laws and Nick Clegg, as well as Jane Ashdown, the widow of Paddy Ashdown.

At the time, Dance said: “I was overwhelmed by the support from all those who attended, in particular from Jane Ashdown, Paddy’s wife, and from both Nick and David.

“Giving me their endorsement means a great deal to me personally and helps enthuse the whole Yeovil team to reach out to voters so that we can return the Yeovil constituency to the Liberal Democrats.

“We need a local voice in parliament which delivers for local businesses and for local people.”

Upon Dance’s election in 2024, Jane Ashdown stated: “I can’t wipe the grin off my face – it means everything. I just wish Paddy was here to see it and to celebrate. He would have been especially thrilled to see two Lib Dems elected locally, Adam [Dance] in Yeovil and Sarah [Dyke] in Glastonbury and Somerton.”