Bridport resident Edward Morello has been selected by the members of the West Dorset Liberal Democrats to be their candidate for Parliament at the next General Election.

Mr Morello was the candidate at the 2019 General Election when the Liberal Democrats secured an 8.5% increase in voter share in the constituency, but were beaten by the Conservatives with Chris Loder taking the seat.

He is expected to face competition from Mr Loder again at the next General Election, expected no later than January 2025, but the MP has not yet formally announced he will be standing again.

West Dorset Liberal Democrat constituency chair Andy Canning said: "We are delighted to have Edward as our candidate again. At the last election he worked tirelessly to provide residents with an alternative vision to the one offered by the Conservatives.

"I know he will work equally hard this time. He will make a great MP and we are confident he can be successful."

Commenting on his re-selection, Mr Morello said: "I am extremely grateful to the members for once again putting their faith in me, and hugely honoured by the opportunity to fight for a better future for the residents of West Dorset.

"Rural communities like ours have been especially hard hit by the policies of successive Conservative governments, especially our farms and rural businesses. 

"After 13 years of taking us for granted, the Conservatives can no longer pretend to be the party of rural Britain. West Dorset deserves representatives that will protect our countryside and coast, our rivers and our farms, our way of life.

"The Liberal Democrats will champion our rural heartland, create job opportunities, provide proper funding for local services, protect our NHS, and clean up our rivers and beaches."    

In accepting the nomination, Mr Morello called on people living in West Dorset to embrace the chance for change that the coming election would offer, saying: "For far too long we have been burdened by a Conservative-run council, a Conservative MP, and a Conservative government in Westminster.

"The answer to the problems we face in West Dorset is not more Conservative miss-management. In May next year we will have local elections and sometime soon a General Election.

"Only the Liberal Democrats can win in West Dorset and so I appeal to everyone, of every political persuasion, to vote for change and to vote Liberal Democrat!"  

Mr Morello works in renewable energy and lives in Bridport with his wife, five-year-old son and rescue dog Reggie. 

He was selected to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for Parliament in 2018, standing in the 2019 General Election where he secured 32% of the vote, an increase of 8.5% on the previous election.