The Liberal Democrats have set their sights on one of Wiltshire’s longest-serving MPs as they look to continue their electoral march across the county.
Wiltshire Council deputy leader Cllr Mel Jacob has been selected to fight South West Wiltshire at the next general election, taking on Conservative Andrew Murrison, who has represented the area in Parliament for 25 years.
It follows a remarkable run of parliamentary successes for the Lib Dems in Wiltshire at the 2024 general election.
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Brian Mathew captured Melksham and Devizes from former Conservative cabinet minister Michelle Donelan, while Sarah Gibson took Chippenham with 22,552 votes and a majority of 8,138.
Roz Savage also captured South Cotswolds, which includes part of northern Wiltshire.
The party followed that success with major gains at the May 2025 Wiltshire Council elections and now believes South West Wiltshire could be its next parliamentary target.
The Lib Dems say they polled more votes than any other party across the constituency at those council elections, when Cllr Jacob was re-elected with an increased majority.
South West Wiltshire includes Trowbridge, Warminster, Westbury and Mere, alongside a swathe of surrounding villages and rural communities.
But the party faces the considerable obstacle of unseating Andrew Murrison, who first entered Parliament in 2001 as MP for the former Westbury seat and has represented South West Wiltshire since its creation in 2010.
He held on during the Conservatives’ disastrous 2024 general election, securing 15,617 votes against Labour’s 12,374 and winning by 3,243.
The scale of the Lib Dem challenge was underlined by their fourth-place finish.
They secured 7,205 votes, behind Reform UK on 7,840 as well as Labour and the Conservatives.
Cllr Jacob said: “I live, work and have raised my family here.
So I care deeply about our residents and the communities of South West Wiltshire.
“It is an incredible honour to be picked to stand up for them against the divisive policies of Reform UK and the mess the Conservatives made when they ran our County and Country.
“Many people tell me they feel let down by a Labour Government that is failing to deliver the change it promised.”
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Cllr Jacob said her campaigning priorities would include tackling the cost-of-living crisis, investing in the NHS, helping local businesses and building “truly affordable homes” to allow young people to remain in the area.
She added: “Most importantly, I will listen to residents and work hard for every part of South West Wiltshire.”
Before becoming deputy leader of Wiltshire Council, Cllr Jacob had a career in business management across the private, public and education sectors.
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