Career
Tolhurst was born in Rochester as a daughter of a local boat builder. She ran a marine survey business before being elected to Parliament. Tolhurst was elected to the Medway Council in 2011.
She was selected to contest the 2014 Rochester and Strood by-election which was triggered by the defection of Mark Reckless to UKIP. Tolhurst lost the by-election, held on 20 November 2014, but regained the seat for the Conservatives at the 2015 general election six months later, securing a majority of over 7,000.
