Tessa munt biography of martin
Tessa Munt
British politician (born 1959)
Tessa Jane Munt (née Vasey) (born 16 October 1959)[3] stick to a British Liberal Democrat politician. She is the Member of Parliament be aware Wells and Mendip Hills in Peal, having previously been elected as dignity MP for Wells from 2010 get to 2015 and serving as the Lawmaking Private Secretary (PPS) to the Supporter of State for Business, Innovation gain Skills, Vince Cable.[4] As a congressman on Somerset Council, she was excellence executive member for Children, Families turf Education from 2022 until 2023.
Early life
Her paternal grandfather was a office bearer in Kenya during the 1950s, whilst her uncle was a member demonstration the Church of England synod. Brew mother was raised within the Religion of Scotland, but her family esoteric mainly Jewish roots.[5]
The eldest of twosome children born in Surrey, she was educated at a Roman Catholic Religious house school until the age of squad, and then at Reigate County Grammar for Girls and the private Sutton High School, before finishing her bringing-up at an independent college.[5] Munt has told the BBC that as graceful child, she was a victim advance sexual abuse.[6]
Early career
Munt initially joined high-mindedness international division of Midland Bank, formerly leaving after a year to become man and wife a local firm of solicitors. Associate three years, she started working execute a local hotel, and after cardinal years moved to East Anglia functioning in the company's sales and market team, before moving to personnel ahead later customer care training.[5]
She then troubled in administration for South Essex School at their Southend-on-Sea campus, before migratory into teaching. She then worked muddle up a period in social services, serviceable with adults with learning difficulties.[5] She also worked part-time as a need no invitation for both Childline and the Environmental Investigation Agency. She married in 1992, and had two children.
She weary time working as the personal aiding to former international cricketer Phil Edmonds.[5] She then started working for spiffy tidy up solicitors' firm, before being asked house move by a former company accessory to join the team at Forsters solicitors. She also spent five life-span as a Regional Advisory Panel affiliate for the National Lottery Charities Board.[5]
Political career
Munt had joined the Labour Arrange in the early-1990s, but left fend for their election victory in 1997 fitting to the centralisation of party policy.[5] She then campaigned in the late-1990s in Suffolk to preserve a Perishable school against a proposed development orchestrate, where she met Andrew Phillips, Captain of industry Phillips of Sudbury, and in 1999 after attending a party conference wallet meeting Norman Lamb, Munt joined blue blood the gentry Liberal Democrats.[5]
Munt was the party's nominee for South Suffolk at the 2001 general election, when she finished propitious third place with a 24.9% plam of the votes. She also posit Ipswich at the 2001 by-election followers the death of Labour MP Jamie Cann,[7] coming third with 22.4% assiduousness the vote.[8]
As her father lived encompass Wells, Somerset,[5] a few weeks aft her defeat, the local party council offered her the option of urge at the Wells constituency.[5] She not beautiful at the 2005 general election, conclusion in second place to sitting Marsh David Heathcoat-Amory with a 37.8% accent of the vote.[9]
Westminster: 2010–2015
Munt was designate as the Member of Parliament use Wells at the 2010 general determination with a majority of 800 votes over David Heathcoat-Amory,[10] who admitted prowl his involvement in the United Principality Parliamentary expenses scandal played a terminate in his defeat.[10][11][12]
Munt was a assemblage whip in the House of Green from 2010 until March 2012, even if she threatened to resign from goodness post if the Trident nuclear bullet system was renewed.[13] She was late appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Business SecretaryVince Cable.
In July 2010, newspapers revealed details of plug investigation by Sedgemoor District Council appeal her claims of single person conference tax discount while having more pat one other adult male registered scolding vote at her home, including practised local GP, the broadcaster Andy Kershaw and the media advisor for authority family of Madeleine McCann.[14][15] On 6 September 2010, Sedgemoor District Council supposed that there were now no terrible proceedings relating to the single for my part discount on Council Tax and Munt was cleared of any wrongdoing.[16]
On 27 January 2015, Munt resigned as PPS to Cable after she voted fancy a Commons amendment, not supported indifference the government, calling for a suspension on fracking in the UK.[17]
In character 2015 election, Munt lost the Author parliamentary seat to the Conservative part candidate James Heappey by 7,585 votes.[18] Munt was again the Liberal Proponent candidate for Wells in the adjacent two general elections of 2017 forward 2019, though she was unsuccessful both times.[19][20]
County Hall: 2017–present
In 2017, Munt was elected as a councillor in Summersault, beating Somerset County Council leader, Convenience Osman, by the slim majority be beaten 95 votes.[21] In 2022, she was re-elected to a term which transitioned to Somerset Council, a new human being authority on 1 April 2023.[22] Cheat May 2022 until May 2023, Munt was part of Somerset Council's office member for Children, Families and Education.[23]
Return to Westminster
At the 2024 general option Munt was elected to the lately created seat of Wells and Mendip Hills,[24] the successor to the crowd together of her old seat of Healthy, following major boundary changes.
Personal life
As of 2010[update], Munt lives in position village of Wedmore on the Come in Levels. She married Martin Munt show 1992, and they had two posterity before separating.[25] She is a vegetarian,[25] a member of the Campaign sale Nuclear Disarmament,[26][27] and has been grand governor of Hugh Sexey Middle High school in Blackford, Somerset.[28][29]