Tara Matthews
A dynamic and fresh voice for Sevenoaks and Swanley
Tara is a dynamic and principled former civil servant and lawyer, with a record of winning campaigns. ​
She worked in public policy in Government, at the European Commission and at Ofcom.
She's in politics to create real change for those who need it most, and to show that politics can be a force for good in society. She will be a committed advocate for Sevenoaks and Swanley and believes passionately that it can be the best place to live in 21st Century Britain. She has loved Sevenoaks and the local area ever since being at school here as a teenager, and her children are at school in Sevenoaks now.
Tara is a seasoned Lib Dem campaigner with unmatched experience of winning elections. She most recently led the Tunbridge Wells team in their successful campaigns to win control of the Borough Council and the Parliamentary seat in 2024.
A passionate and principled advocate
Tara will be a passionate advocate for Sevenoaks and Swanley. It deserves an MP who will fight for every town and village, and for this to be the best place to live in 21st Century Britain. People are frustrated by politics and they want politicians who listen and speak up for them - from the cost of living, to fixing the NHS, to affordable housing with good local infrastructure, to protecting our natural environment.
At the same time, British politics is at a crossroads and our liberal values and priorities matter more now than ever. Tara will be a strong voice offering a positive alternative with a long-term vision for fixing politics. She will be a visible and principled MP who stands up for the decent, inclusive and community-minded society we know Britain to be.
Pro-European
Tara is passionately pro-European. She has a European background, is trilingual and worked at the European Commission. She joined the party in 2015 to oppose a Brexit referendum, and it remains a core thread in her politics.
We face an increasingly turbulent and unsafe world. Our steadfast commitment to internationalism and Europe will only become more important in the years to come. Whether in defence, or trade cooperation, or partnerships in other areas, our peace and prosperity will increasingly be about a closer relationship with Europe.
A winner
Tara is a seasoned Lib Dem campaigner, with the track record, experience, ambition and energy to win in 2029.
She led back-to-back winning election campaigns in Tunbridge Wells in 2024 and 2025, taking the local team from a small group of councillors to replacing the Conservatives as the incumbents in the Borough Council, County Council and Parliament in less than two years. She has been actively involved in six parliamentary campaigns since joining the party in Richmond Park in 2015.
She brings unmatched experience of building and inspiring winning teams, raising the money needed to fund our campaigns, and growing the organisation needed to support it all. She is uniquely placed to know what it takes and is deeply committed to winning the seat.
