Wendy Morton


Wendy Morton is a British Conservative Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Aldridge-Brownhills since 2015. A former Assistant Government Whip, she currently serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for European Neighbourhood and the Americas.

Early life and career

Morton was born in Yorkshire where she attended local primary and secondary schools. She later gained an MBA with the Open University.
Her career began as an executive officer in HM Diplomatic Service at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before working in the business sector, in sales and marketing. She then set up an electronics company, with her husband, designing and manufacturing electronic goods for the agricultural industry.

Parliamentary career

Morton contested Newcastle upon Tyne Central constituency in 2005 coming in third place. Morton was selected to fight Tynemouth constituency in the 2010 General Election, Tynemouth was the top Conservative Party target in 2010. Morton would go on to be defeated by Labour's Alan Campbell. Following Morton's defeat, in September 2010 she contested a North Tyneside Council by-election for Battle Hill ward where she came in third place.
Morton was selected for the seat of Aldridge-Brownhills in January 2015, and won the seat in May with 52% share of the vote. She made her maiden speech on 3 June 2015. During the 2017 Parliament, Morton sat on the International Development Select Committee. She was also the Chair of the APPG for Sustainable Development Goals, as well as taking an active interest in several other APPG's.
Her first Private Members bill, NHS Bill, received Royal Assent on 23 March 2016 and is now law. Her Second Private Member's Bill the Local Audit bill received Royal Assent on 27 April 2017.
Morton was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 referendum.
Morton supported Theresa May in the 2016 Conservative Party leadership election.
In the summer of 2016, she was appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the newly created Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

57th Parliament

At the 2017 General Election, Morton stood for reelection and increased her majority to 14,307 and gained 65.4% of the vote. In the government reshuffle following the election Morton was promoted to Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel at the Department for International Development.
She was made an assistant government whip during the reshuffle on 9 January 2018.
After Boris Johnson won the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election, Morton said that Johnson would bring “real energy, vision and determination” to the role of PM and said: “Now he must get on and deliver Brexit, and importantly get it done by October 31.
She was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Justice in the Johnson ministry on 26 July 2019.

58th Parliament

Morton stood for reelection at the December 2019 election. Morton increased her majority yet again, obtaining 27,850 votes, which was 70.8% of the vote.
In February 2020 as Minister for Victims, Morton pledged an increase in government funding for rape support services.
In the 2020 cabinet reshuffle, Morton was promoted to Minister for European Neighbourhood & the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.