Former local MP Tessa Munt has paid tribute to veteran politician and Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Shirley Williams, who died on Monday (April 12), at age 90.

Shirley wrote to Tessa after every election to support her work and to enthuse about what she was doing.

Tessa told Nub News: " She was a wonderful wonderful person, and she was incredibly supportive to me. She was the best Prime Minister we never had."

Shirley Williams had a career in politics spanning more than 50 years: she first entered Parliament as the Labour MP for Hitchin in 1964. She was part of the Gang of Four who quit the party to found the Social Democratic Party.

She retired from political life in 2016, after leading the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

Tessa added: " She was one of the first people I met when I joined the party. When I explained that I was planning to become an MP, she introduced me to the right people and helped me at every step of the way.

"She was a very dedicated community campaigner, and a fantastic speaker who always talked common sense."

She added: "Whenever I brought her to Somerset we always had to make a detour to go through Cheddar because her grandson loved real Cheddar – she was very down to earth and kind."

Tessa Munt was MP for Cheddar from 2010 to 2015.