Tessa Munt is the Liberal Democrat MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, having returned to parliament at the 2024 general election. She previously represented the predecessor Wells constituency from 2010 to 2015.

In the 2024 general election for the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency, Munt received 23,622 votes, representing 46.9% of the vote share. The Conservative candidate, Meg Powell-Chandler, came second with 12,501 votes (24.8%), while the Reform UK candidate, Helen Hims, secured 6,611 votes (13.1%). Munt was duly elected with a majority of 11,121.

The Wells and Mendip Hills constituency is located in Somerset.

Munt’s election in 2024 came after the incumbent Conservative MP, James Heappey, stood down. Heappey unseated Munt at the 2015 general election. Historically, the area has been safe Conservative territory. Munt’s first victory in 2010 ended an 87-year period of continuous Conservative representation.

Political Career

Munt is a member of the House of Commons justice select committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for examining the policies and spending of the Ministry of Justice and associated public bodies. Its remit includes the courts, legal aid, prisons, probation and the rule of law. It also advises on sentencing guidelines.

Munt is also a member of the House of Commons administration committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for overseeing the internal running of the House and the services provided to its members and their staff. Its primary role is to ensure that the facilities and administrative support on the parliamentary estate are effective, efficient, and meet the needs of a modern legislature.

During her first stint in parliament, which coincided with the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, Munt served as a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to the secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, Vince Cable. A PPS acts as an unpaid parliamentary assistant, providing a link between the senior frontbencher and backbench MPs.

Munt resigned as Cable’s PPS in January 2015 upon voting for a moratorium on fracking. She defied the party whip to support a rebel amendment seeking a moratorium on shale gas extraction.

In a statement, Munt said: “It is with regret that I today handed in my resignation after three enjoyable years working closely alongside Vince Cable as his PPS in the Business Department.

“I understood the implications of voting against the government, but with my principles, in favour of a moratorium or ‘freeze’ on fracking, as endorsed by the environmental audit committee’s report published on Monday morning.”

A spokesperson for Cable responded: “Both the secretary of state for business and the deputy prime minister thank Tessa for the work she has done in government but understand her strength of feeling on this issue and have, therefore, accepted her resignation.”

Munt served as a PPS from 2012 to 2015.

Munt has sat as a member of the House of Commons administration committee (2010-2015) and the education committee (2010-2012).

Munt lost her Wells seat as part of the Liberal Democrat collapse at the 2015 general election. The Conservative candidate, James Heappey, won 26,247 votes (46.1%) and a majority of 7,585 over Munt in second place.

Munt went on to contest the Wells constituency at the 2017 and 2019 general elections.

Munt has served as a councillor for Somerset Council since May 2017.

Munt now serves as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for flooding and flooded communities, disability equipment and penal affairs

Munt delivered her maiden speech on 30 June 2010 during a debate on energy efficiency.

In it, she said: “Wells is rural Britain at its very best. The Mendip hills, reaching over 1,000 feet high, look down over the Somerset levels and moors, much of which is below sea level. Somerset is well known for its farming, its Cheddar cheese and its cider.”

She added: “When I was standing for election, I did not expect to find myself on the government benches – that was a nice surprise. I was delighted that when I looked at the coalition agreement I found that 27 different Liberal Democrat manifesto pledges had found their way into it. I have been questioned on several occasions about what it is like to be in the coalition team.

“I have told people that it is not absolutely where I thought I was going to be, but that a seven or eight-year-old child might dream about playing for West Ham and then at the age of 21, having spent 12 years training, they might suddenly get an offer from Fulham.”

Before her election to parliament in 2010, she stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal Democrat candidate for South Suffolk at the 2001 general election, for Ipswich in a November 2001 by-election and in Wells in 2005.

Political Views

Munt is a member of the Green Liberal Democrats, an official environmental group within the Liberal Democrats. It aims to “promote a green approach to policy formation within the Liberal Democrats” and “develop links with the wider green movement.” The grouping, formed in 1977 as a faction within the Liberal Party, is “committed to a net-zero and nature positive future and driving ambition across the national party and in local governance.”

Munt is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for fair elections – a cross-party group of MPs and peers that campaigns for electoral reform. The group’s stated aims include replacing the first past the post (FPTP) voting system with a form of proportional representation, eliminating “dark money” and “undemocratic influence” from politics, and countering disinformation.

In December 2024, Munt 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.”

Brexit and Europe

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Munt 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.

Assisted dying

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

Social values and conscience issues

Same-sex marriage (2013): In February 2013, Munt voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at its second reading. The landmark piece of legislation, which received its second reading by 400 votes to 175, legalised marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales.

Before Politics

Born in 1959 in Surrey, Munt was initially educated at a Roman Catholic Convent.

Munt spent a year in the international department of Midland Bank, before moving to a local firm of solicitors for a three-year period.

She then spent two years working at a local hotel. In this new region, she initially joined a sales and marketing team before transitioning into personnel and, subsequently, customer service training.

She later took on an administrative role at South Essex College’s Southend-on-Sea campus, eventually moving into a teaching position.

Munt also served as a personal assistant to Phil Edmonds, the former international cricketer.

Personal Life

Munt married Martin in 1992. They had two children before separating.

She is vegetarian.

Trivia

Munt was the first MP to publish her tax returns and record every gift received while serving as MP.