Rebecca was elected as the Conservative MP for Taunton Deane in 2015 winning the seat from the Liberal Democrats with a 15,500 majority and achieving the second biggest swing in the country. She consolidated her position in the election in 2017 with 33,333 votes, increasing her vote share by 4.8%, gaining 52.9% of the vote.
A scientist by training, after working for the National Farmers Union, Rebecca spent much of her working career as a journalist and broadcaster specialising in the environment, farming, rural issues and gardening working for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. Prior to heading to Parliament Rebecca also ran her own communications business focusing on clients in her specialist areas. She considers herself a traditional blue Conservative with a streak of sustainable green.
In Parliament Rebecca was a member of both the Environmental Audit Select Committee and the Department of Environment, Food & Farming Select Committee before becoming a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the DEFRA department. This followed a period as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Housing and Planning Minister, Gavin Barwell.
She is also Chair of the All Party Ancient Woodland and Tree group where she helped secure greater protection for this unique habitat. She is also co-chair of the All Party Animal Welfare Group. She has played a part in bringing in a ban on the use of plastic micro beads in cosmetics and care products to help protect the marine environment.
Since being elected as the MP for Taunton Deane Rebecca has worked with other stakeholders to attract £300million to the constituency for a range of infrastructure projects including the upgrade of Taunton Rail Station, widening of M5, Junction 25, development of the Tone Way and Creech Castle junctions as well as working to secure funding to upgrade the A358. She was also involved, with the National Trust, in attracting £1million of Libor funding for the Wellington Monument restoration project. She also helped secure Garden Town status for Taunton.
Rebecca is passionate about her local area, where she lives with her husband of 28 years and where they have brought up their 3 children.