LD took this seat from Con after 4 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+63
Edward Morello
Liberal DemocratsEdward Morello is the Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Vote on whether to allow employers who opt out of providing assisted dying to also prohibit their employees from participating in assisted dying while working for them. This amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults Bill would let, for example, a religious hospice or care home prevent its staff from facilitating assisted dying even if the individual healthcare worker personally wished to do so.
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Sign up freeCoverage of West Dorset has been mixed for Edward across 40 recent articles.
Represented by LD since 2024. Covers Dorchester (Dorset), Sherborne and Bridport. Population 96,606, notably older (median age 53 vs 41 nationally). Recorded crime is 54% below the national average.
Exceptionally rare crocodile fossil discovered on Jurassic Coast
Dorset Echo · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,600
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£38,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
5,120
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
53
37 primary, 8 secondary, 8 other
Total Income Tax▼
£304m
from 49,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,740
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,250
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
46.7
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
65.6%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 3 towns, 11 villages, rural areas — 92,129 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
14 councillors across 12 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaminster | Conservative and Unionist Party | Craig Monks | May 2024 |
| Chalk Valleys | Conservative and Unionist Party | Jill Haynes | May 2024 |
| Charminster St Marys | Liberal Democrats | David Taylor | May 2024 |
| Dorchester East | Liberal Democrats | Rory Major | May 2024 |
| Liberal Democrats | Stella Jones | May 2024 | |
| Dorchester Poundbury | Liberal Democrats | Richard Martin Biggs | May 2024 |
| Dorchester West | Liberal Democrats | Andy Canning | May 2024 |
| Independents for Dorset | Les Fry | May 2024 | |
| Lyme Charmouth | Green Party of England and Wales | Belinda Bawden | May 2024 |
| Sherborne East | Liberal Democrats | Jon Andrews | May 2024 |
| Sherborne Rural | Liberal Democrats | Robin Andrew Shane Legg | May 2024 |
| Sherborne West | Liberal Democrats | Richard Henry Geoffrey Crabb | May 2024 |
| Winterborne Broadmayne | Liberal Democrats | Roland Tarr | May 2024 |
| Yetminster | Liberal Democrats | Chris Kippax | May 2024 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 26,999 | 51.3% | |
Won 2019 GE | Con | 19,210 | 36.5% |
| Lab | 3,086 | 5.9% | |
| Green | 2,288 | 4.3% | |
| Ind | 733 | 1.4% | |
| Ind | 289 | 0.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Con | 33,589 | 55.1% | |
Won 2024 GE | LD | 19,483 | 32.0% |
| Lab | 5,729 | 9.4% | |
| Green | 2,124 | 3.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 33,081 | 55.5% |
| LD | 13,990 | 23.5% | |
| Lab | 10,896 | 18.3% | |
| Green | 1,631 | 2.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 28,329 | 50.2% |
| LD | 12,199 | 21.6% | |
| Ind | 7,055 | 12.5% | |
| Lab | 5,633 | 10.0% | |
| Green | 3,242 | 5.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 27,287 | 47.6% |
| LD | 23,364 | 40.8% | |
| Lab | 3,815 | 6.7% | |
| Ind | 2,196 | 3.8% | |
| Green | 675 | 1.2% |
Edward Morello has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
16 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A rare crocodile fossil from the early Jurassic period has been discovered on a Lyme Regis beach during a guided fossil walk organized by Lyme Regis Museum. The specimen is one of only about 11 known examples worldwide and reinforces the international scientific importance of the Jurassic Coast.
The West Bay Car Boot Sale will resume on Sunday, April 12, running weekly through October at West Bay Road Car Park in Dorset. Stall fees support local community projects through a community pot system.
RKL Tools and Hardware, a family-run business based in Bridport for 30 years, has expanded into larger premises on West Street, allowing it to broaden its product range and adapt to local demand. The business has grown despite challenges facing independent retailers and continues to serve the wider region with stores in Axminster and Honiton.
Dorset Council has approved three planning applications in West Dorset communities: a certificate of lawfulness for a Beaminster bungalow removing agricultural restrictions, a coastal home extension in Lyme Regis with energy efficiency improvements, and internal alterations to a listed building in Lyme Regis.
A car caught fire on the A35 between Bridport and Dorchester near Long Bredy on 2 April, requiring firefighters from Bridport to extinguish it. The incident was resolved within an hour with no reported casualties.
A retired doctor in Whitchurch Canonicorum credits the rapid response of Charmouth Fire Station with saving his home from a boiler fire, arguing that the proposed closure of the station would endanger rural communities in West Dorset. The incident highlights the critical importance of response time in fire emergencies, as the 6-7 minute arrival was decisive in preventing total loss.
This article reports on multiple residential planning applications and approvals across West Dorset towns including Bridport, West Bay, Beaminster, Burton Bradstock, and Lyme Regis. The proposals include home extensions, annexes, solar panels, and garage conversions, demonstrating ongoing residential development activity in the constituency.
Local residents in West Dorset, including Beaminster and Bridport, have reported sightings of otters in coastal and riverine waters during the Easter holidays, delighting nature enthusiasts. The article highlights the recovery of the protected Eurasian otter species in UK waters and notes conservation priorities.
A flat fire in Burton Bradstock on the B3157 coast road has been confirmed as accidental, caused by embers from an open fire. The incident required multiple fire crews and temporarily closed the coast road, but no injuries were reported and the fire was contained to the living room.
Firefighters from six stations across Dorset conducted a large-scale training exercise at an empty care home in Bridport, simulating a complex multi-floor fire scenario with rescue operations. The exercise involved coordination between Dorchester, Weymouth, Beaminster, Charmouth, Lyme Regis, and Bridport fire stations to develop incident command and inter-station coordination skills.
The Royal British Legion Hall in Bridport celebrated its 150th anniversary with a community event showcasing local history, memorabilia, and the contributions of the RBL and its Women's Section over decades. The celebration highlighted the hall's role as a community landmark and recognised local volunteers and heritage.
Dorset Council has reassured Sherborne residents that library services continue during essential building works, including asbestos removal. The library is operating from temporary spaces (Digby Hall lobby and library foyer) while safety work proceeds, with a full reopening date to be announced.
A violent assault involving hammers and broken bottles occurred in Bridport town centre on a busy Saturday morning, injuring two people. Two local men have been arrested and released on bail, with police maintaining an increased presence in the area while investigations continue.
Lyme Regis Town Council illegally overcharged restaurants for pavement licences for 14 years, charging up to £4,500 annually instead of the legal cap of £500, affecting 11 businesses on Marine Parade. Most have received partial refunds, but owner Larry Gibbons is still waiting for over £50,000 and faces bureaucratic hurdles from the council.
The Lyme Regis Park and Ride service, located in West Dorset, will remain closed during the Easter holidays due to poor ground conditions from wet weather. The service typically operates during peak holiday periods and serves approximately 50,000 passengers annually, with planned improvements including a café, toilets, and electric charging points.
A violent altercation involving hammers and broken bottles erupted in Bridport town centre on a busy Saturday morning, injuring two people and prompting a significant police response including armed officers and a helicopter. Local councillors and traders expressed shock at the incident, noting it is unusual for their generally safe community, though police praised their quick response.
South West Water has submitted a planning application to use a temporary works compound in Holmbush car park, Lyme Regis, for approximately one year to support essential water and sewage system improvements. The compound would displace around 96 of 393 car parking spaces and is expected to be approved by the local planning committee imminently.
A flat fire in Burton Bradstock, West Dorset forced the B3157 coast road to close for several hours yesterday afternoon. Four fire crews attended and extinguished the fire in around two hours with no injuries reported; a fire investigation is underway.
A new late-night bus service between Lyme Regis and Bridport will launch on May 1, funded by £110,000 from Western Gateway and Peninsula Transport. The service will run Friday and Saturday evenings, connecting several small coastal communities with limited evening transport and supporting local businesses.
Two Dorset farmers, Ben Chick from Sixpenny Handley and Ellie Maguire from near Sherborne, have advanced to the Britain's Got Talent semi-finals after the Hawkstone Farmers Choir received the Golden Buzzer. The choir aims to raise awareness and funds for mental health and suicide prevention in the agricultural community.
A six-year-old girl from near Dorchester whose life was saved by firefighters from Maiden Newton station in 2022 is now speaking out against proposed closures of eight fire stations across Dorset & Wiltshire, including the station that rescued her. The firefighters' swift 11-minute response and life-saving CPR prevented her death, and her story underscores the critical importance of local fire station coverage in rural areas.
Beaminster Museum in Dorset has secured £3,500 national funding from the Royal Society to implement immersive 3D scanning technology for its collections, including Roman artefacts from Waddon Hill and fossils from Horn Park Quarry. The project aims to improve accessibility and engagement, particularly for younger visitors and school groups, while supporting other local museums in adopting similar digital approaches.
A Taylor Swift tribute concert featuring dancers and costume changes will be held at Bridport's Electric Palace on May 29, covering all 12 of her musical eras. The show promises an immersive experience with fan favourites and newer songs.
Dorset Council is hosting a free clothes-swapping event (SWISH) at Beaminster Town Hall on April 25, allowing residents to exchange up to 10 unwanted clothing items. The event promotes sustainable consumption and community participation in West Dorset.
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