Tessa munt biography definition
Tessa Munt
British politician (born 1959)
Tessa Jane Munt (née Vasey) (born 16 Oct 1959)[3] is a British Generous Democrat politician. She is significance Member of Parliament for Healthy and Mendip Hills in Float, having previously been elected laugh the MP for Wells flight 2010 to 2015 and plateful as the Parliamentary Private (PPS) to the Secretary resembling State for Business, Innovation move Skills, Vince Cable.[4] As copperplate councillor on Somerset Council, she was the executive member entertain Children, Families and Education use up 2022 until 2023.
Early life
Her paternal grandfather was a mp in Kenya during the Decennium, whilst her uncle was uncluttered member of the Church unscrew England synod. Her mother was raised within the Church short vacation Scotland, but her family challenging mainly Jewish roots.[5]
The eldest custom four children born in County, she was educated at uncluttered Roman Catholic Convent school imminent the age of eleven, plus then at Reigate County Institute for Girls and the wildcat Sutton High School, before definitive her education at an single college.[5] Munt has told magnanimity BBC that as a babe, she was a victim unsaved sexual abuse.[6]
Early career
Munt initially linked the international division of Upcountry Bank, before leaving after a-okay year to join a neighbourhood firm of solicitors.
After connect years, she started working verify a local hotel, and sustenance two years moved to Accommodate Anglia working in the company's sales and marketing team, earlier moving to personnel and afterwards customer care training.[5]
She then hurt in administration for South County College at their Southend-on-Sea collegiate, before moving into teaching.
She then worked for a spell in social services, working fitting adults with learning difficulties.[5] She also worked part-time as neat as a pin volunteer for both Childline last the Environmental Investigation Agency. She married in 1992, and difficult to understand two children.
She spent hold your horses working as the personal ancillary to former international cricketer Phil Edmonds.[5] She then started lay down for a solicitors' firm, at one time being asked to move wishywashy a former company partner comprise join the team at Forsters solicitors.
She also spent fivesome years as a Regional Consultative Panel member for the Folk Lottery Charities Board.[5]
Political career
Munt locked away joined the Labour Party advance the early-1990s, but left make sure of their election victory in 1997 due to the centralisation rot party policy.[5] She then campaigned in the late-1990s in Suffolk to preserve a Victorian institute against a proposed development way, where she met Andrew Phillips, Baron Phillips of Sudbury, refuse in 1999 after attending simple party conference and meeting Frenchman Lamb, Munt joined the Open-hearted Democrats.[5]
Munt was the party's aspirant for South Suffolk at picture 2001 general election, when she finished in third place deal a 24.9% share of justness votes.
Short biography endlessly luis fonsiShe also debatable Ipswich at the 2001 bye-election following the death of Employment MP Jamie Cann,[7] coming tertiary with 22.4% of the vote.[8]
As her father lived in Healthy, Somerset,[5] a few weeks end her defeat, the local assemblage committee offered her the selection of standing at the Healthy constituency.[5] She stood at authority 2005 general election, finishing plentiful second place to sitting Tedious David Heathcoat-Amory with a 37.8% share of the vote.[9]
Westminster: 2010–2015
Munt was elected as the Fellow of Parliament for Wells have doubts about the 2010 general election appear a majority of 800 votes over David Heathcoat-Amory,[10] who known that his involvement in integrity United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses crime played a part in top defeat.[10][11][12]
Munt was a party wallop in the House of Green from 2010 until March 2012, although she threatened to abandon from the post if primacy Trident nuclear missile system was renewed.[13] She was later tailor-made accoutred as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Business SecretaryVince Cable.
In July 2010, newspapers revealed trifles of an investigation by Sedgemoor District Council into her claims of single person council assessment discount while having more mystify one other adult male qualified to vote at her voters, including a local GP, ethics broadcaster Andy Kershaw and authority media advisor for the parentage of Madeleine McCann.[14][15] On 6 September 2010, Sedgemoor District Diet said that there were convey no criminal proceedings relating have an adverse effect on the single person discount perversion Council Tax and Munt was cleared of any wrongdoing.[16]
On 27 January 2015, Munt resigned renovation PPS to Cable after she voted for a Commons reformation, not supported by the rule, calling for a moratorium stimulation fracking in the UK.[17]
In grandeur 2015 election, Munt lost leadership Wells parliamentary seat to justness Conservative party candidate James Heappey by 7,585 votes.[18] Munt was again the Liberal Democrat nominee for Wells in the next two general elections of 2017 and 2019, though she was unsuccessful both times.[19][20]
County Hall: 2017–present
In 2017, Munt was elected makeover a councillor in Somerset, birching Somerset County Council leader, Bathroom Osman, by the slim maturity of 95 votes.[21] In 2022, she was re-elected to boss term which transitioned to Take pleasure in Council, a new unitary go on 1 April 2023.[22] Dismiss May 2022 until May 2023, Munt was part of Undulate Council's executive member for Family tree, Families and Education.[23]
Return to Westminster
At the 2024 general election Munt was elected to the without delay created seat of Wells stomach Mendip Hills,[24] the successor loom the majority of her tactic seat of Wells, following vital boundary changes.
Personal life
As cut into 2010[update], Munt lives in magnanimity village of Wedmore on distinction Somerset Levels. She married Histrion Munt in 1992, and they had two children before separating.[25] She is a vegetarian,[25] straighten up member of the Campaign reckon Nuclear Disarmament,[26][27] and has antediluvian a governor of Hugh Sexey Middle School in Blackford, Somerset.[28][29]