Edward Morello is the Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Morello won 26,999 votes, representing 51.3% of the vote. The Conservative candidate, Chris Loder, received 19,210 votes (36.5%), while the Labour candidate, Donna Lumsden, secured 3,086 votes (5.9%). Morello was duly elected with a majority of 7,789.

The West Dorset constituency, located in the South West of England, was first created in 1885 under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. It voted Conservative consistently from 1885 to 2024.

Morello’s immediate predecessor as the MP for West Dorset was Chris Loder of the Conservative Party. Loder held the seat from 2019 to 2024.

Political Career

Morello is a member of the House of Commons foreign affairs select committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for examining the expenditure, administration and policy of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other associated bodies.

Morello is also a member of the parliamentary joint committee on national security strategy (since November 2024). This committee scrutinises government decision-making on national security, particularly the role of the National Security Council and the national security adviser.

In April 2026, during a high-profile session of the foreign affairs committee, Morello pressed Sir Oliver Robbin, the former permanent under-secretary of state at the Foreign Office, on whether Downing Street had proposed any other “political appointees” to fill diplomatic roles – beyond Peter Mandelson.

Robbins confirmed that, in March 2025, Downing Street initiated discussions regarding a potential “head of mission” (ambassadorial) role for Matthew Doyle, the former director of communications at Downing Street. Robbins revealed that he had been under “strict instruction” by No 10 not to discuss the proposed appointment with the foreign secretary, which he described as “uncomfortable”.

Morello later told the i paper: “The prime minister has tried to portray the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador as a singular error of judgement.

“However we now know that he also tried to find Matthew Doyle an ambassadorship.

“To appoint one friend of a paedophile as ambassador might be an error of judgement, to try and appoint two looks like no judgement at all.”

Morello is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for net zero (co-chair), the Cayman Islands, ClimateTech (chair), UNESCO World Heritage sites and water pollution.

Morello delivered his maiden speech on 12 September 2024.

In it he said: “As an environmentalist, I am delighted that we now have a government who seem to understand the importance of tackling the climate crisis and who recognise the vital part that renewable energy will play in achieving net zero.

“Having spent a large part of my career in renewable energy, I will be urging the government to go further and faster if we are to avoid the worst ravages of the climate emergency, which is already unfolding.

“The Liberal Democrats will continue to champion the need for action in this House”

He added: “Sadly, over the summer we saw that there are those who would seek to use the misery of people who have come here seeking refuge to further their own aims…

“In my experience, immigrants do not forget the debt they owe the country that offered them a future. We must not let hate win. We must champion hope.

“That is why it is more important than ever to fly the flag for liberalism, liberal values and a rules-based international order.”

Morello previously stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal Democrat candidate for West Dorset in the 2019 general election, achieving a 8.5-point swing to the Liberal Democrats.

Political Views

The Liberal Democrats (or Lib Dems) are a liberal political party, occupying the centre to centre-left ground in British politics.

The preamble to the Lib Dem constitution begins: “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no-one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.”

The Liberal Democrat autumn conference in 2021 ratified a policy paper entitled What Liberal Democrats Believe. The paper, an attempt to expand on the constitution’s preamble, was framed around seven “principles and values”.

The party’s core values were described as “liberty, equality, democracy, community, internationalism and environmentalism.”

Morello is a member of the Green Liberal Democrats, an official environmental group within the Liberal Democrats. It aims to “promote a green approach to policy formation within the Liberal Democrats” and “develop links with the wider green movement.” The grouping, formed in 1977 as a faction within the Liberal Party, is “committed to a net-zero and nature positive future and driving ambition across the national party and in local governance.”

Morello is listed as a supporter of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for fair elections – a cross-party group of MPs and peers that campaigns for electoral reform. The group’s stated aims include replacing the first past the post (FPTP) voting system with a form of proportional representation, eliminating “dark money” and “undemocratic influence” from politics, and countering disinformation.

In May 2026, Morello signed an amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, calling on the government to establish a “national commission on electoral reform”. Tabled by Alex Sobel as chair of the fair elections APPG, the amendment aimed to force a rethink of the first past the post voting system. At the time, Sobel described FPTP as “one of the biggest examples of a broken status quo in UK politics.” He invited colleagues to join this “common sense call to take a fresh look at how parliament is elected in modern Britain.”

In December 2024, Morello voted in favour of the Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill – introduced by Liberal Democrat frontbencher Sarah Olney under the 10-minute rule procedure. The bill sought to “introduce a system of proportional representation for parliamentary elections and for local government elections in England”.

A total of 138 MPs supported the bill – with 136 opposed. Notably, 59 Labour MPs backed Olney’s bill.

Introducing the bill, Olney told the House: “First past the post is a broken and unfair system. This summer, the Labour party won a landslide election victory, securing 63% of seats in the House of Commons in return for just 34% of the vote.

“The system leaves millions of voices unheard and creates a divisive, adversarial political climate where collaboration is discouraged and accountability is often sidestepped.”

Brexit and Europe

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Morello voted in favour of the UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill. The bill, introduced under the 10-minute rule procedure by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, sought to mandate the government to enter into negotiations with the European Union to establish a bespoke customs union. In total, 13 Labour MPs joined the Liberal Democrats in supporting the motion, while the majority of the party abstained.

Assisted dying

Morello voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Morello was one of the 38 Liberal Democrat MPs who voted for the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 at its House of Commons third reading.

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Morello voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Palestine

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Morello was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Before Politics

Robin Edward Charles Morello attended Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Buckinghamshire.

He studied international politics and strategic studies at Aberystwyth University, graduating in 2003.

He worked in the renewable energy sector. E​​arly in his career, he worked in carbon finance for environmental and social impact projects in East Africa

Personal Life

Morello lives in Bridport, West Dorset. He is married and has a son.

He is of Italian and Spanish heritage.

Trivia

Morello is the first non-Conservative MP elected for the West Dorset constituency since its creation in 1885.