Meet the West Dorset candidates: Who gets your vote?

Green Party Kelvin Clayton

I am a Green Party councillor on both Dorset Council (Bridport ward) and Bridport Town Council, and a former chairman of the local Green Party. I stood as the Green Party candidate in the 2017 General Election. Before entering politics I spent my whole working life in the public sector, first as a firefighter then as careers adviser, with a short spell as a part-time university lecturer. I first went to university as a mature student after leaving the Fire Service, but continued studying philosophy on a part-time basis – eventually gaining a PhD in the subject. I currently organise the Bridport Philosophy in Pubs group, a grass roots community organisation promoting philosophy and critical thinking, and I write a monthly ‘philosophy’ column for a local magazine. I am a trustee at Bridport Youth & Community Centre, which I helped save from closure following the former Dorset County Council’s decision to cut their funding for youth centres, and am active in many other community initiatives. After living and working in various parts of the country I eventually discovered Bridport - which I now regard as my home. I convince myself that I stay sane by having regular ‘work-outs’ at the gym!

Conservative Chris Loder

Born at Sherborne’s Yeatman Hospital in 1981, Chris Loder enjoyed a rural upbringing at Folke on his parents' 4th generation family farm. He had a secondary education at The Gryphon School but didn’t go to university, instead he joined the railways aged 18 years as a train guard. He progressed to become a railway industry strategist, leading a team of 300 running the UK's best performing train company, creating more train services and better connections for Dorset, whilst delivering the multi-million-pound upgrade of London Waterloo station - the largest in Europe.

His political career began as Parish Clerk for Bishops Caundle at just 18 years old when he was awarded the young person's merit award for commitment to the local community. He was elected Conservative Councillor for Cam Vale Ward on West Dorset District Council in 2013 and was Association Chairman of the West Dorset Constituency Association for three years until August 2019, before being selected as Prospective Conservative MP for West Dorset on 28th September.

Chris looks forward to championing West Dorset at Westminster. His key policy areas include: the environment, rural economy, the high street and tourism; local housing and better connectivity, care and wellbeing, policing and tackling rural crime.

Liberal Democrats Edward Morello

Edward Morello is a committed environmentalist. He works in renewable energy investment, encouraging businesses to move to clean energy. Climate change is the defining issue of our generation, and he believes we need bold environmental policies at the heart of all decision making to avoid a climate catastrophe.

With a degree in International Relations from Aberystwyth University Edward spent many years working in geopolitical and security risk; supporting charities, businesses, and international organisations operating in high-risk environments. He is an internationalist, and believes Britain is at its strongest when it is playing a leading role in international institutions.

West Dorset is a fantastic place to live, but to keep it that way we must do more to protect our rural communities. Edward is determined to bring back those vital rural services whose disappearance have left residents feel abandoned and isolated.

Edward lives in Bridport with his wife, Keira, their young son, and rescue dog Reggie. When he is not campaigning, he is usually found enjoying family days out on the beach or in the countryside.

Labour Claudia Sorin

I grew up in Dorchester and raised my family here. I work in a local school. I’ve lived in West Dorset for most of my life and I have a strong attachment to this beautiful area. But over the years I've seen rising levels of inequality in West Dorset due to high housing costs, drastic cuts to public services and low wages.

Since joining the Labour Party in 2013, I’ve been campaigning for decent, genuinely affordable homes for local people and to keep NHS services and beds in the West of the county. Education funding has been cut to such an extent that we are now seeing a damaging impact on schools and further education, endangering the future of young people and adding to a growing mental health crisis amongst the young. Support for children and young people with additional needs has been particularly hard hit and I’ve worked hard over the past year to raise awareness about how these vulnerable children and their families have been let down.

With a commitment to properly fund our NHS and schools, build decent homes and take action on the climate crisis, I believe Labour is the only party that can give us the transformative government we all need.