Layla Moran is a famous British Liberal Democrat politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017.
Layla Moran Bio
Layla Moran was born in Hammersmith, London in 1984 to a Palestinian father and Greek mother.
She attended several private schools as a child and studied physics at Imperial College London, obtaining a master’s degree in 2006.
After working briefly as a teacher, Moran joined the management consultancy Accenture before entering politics.
Layla Moran Political Career
In the 2017 general election, Moran stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon. She won the historically Conservative seat by a narrow margin of 816 votes.
At age 33, Moran became the first Liberal Democrat MP of Palestinian descent and the first lesbian MP from her party.
As a new MP, she emphasized liberal values and progressive policies, calling for more investment in education and housing. On social issues, Moran has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and greater diversity in government.
Within the Liberal Democrats, Moran rose quickly to prominence. In 2019, she declared her candidacy for the party leadership after Vince Cable announced his resignation.
Though Ed Davey ultimately won the leadership contest, Moran’s candidacy highlighted her growing stature in the party. She currently serves as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development.
In 2020, Moran publicly revealed she was pansexual, becoming the first openly pansexual MP in the UK. She explained that pansexuality means “not caring about which box you are put in” in terms of gender or sexuality.
Moran hopes to use her platform to increase acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in politics and society.
As an MP, Moran has been an outspoken critic of the Conservative government’s austerity policies.
She has repeatedly called for increased public spending on education, healthcare, and other social services. On foreign policy, Moran has criticized British arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
She supports her party’s push to rejoin the European Union.
Now nearing 40, Layla Moran has already broken several glass ceilings in British politics as a young, liberal, female MP of immigrant background.
She continues to champion progressive causes and increased diversity. Her rising stature within the Liberal Democrats suggests Moran may play an influential role in the party’s future direction.
Layla Moran Partner: Who Is Her Husband?
Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Oxford West and Abingdon, is married to a woman named Rosy Cobb.
The two met in 2014 through their shared interests in politics and social activism. Cobb had previously worked as a fundraising manager for refugee charity Choose Love.
After hitting it off at a Liberal Democrat event, Moran and Cobb began dating. Their relationship was kept private at first, as Moran had not yet come out as pansexual publicly.
In 2020, the couple announced their engagement. Later that year, Moran revealed that she and Cobb had married in a simple, private civil partnership ceremony.
Cobb took Moran’s last name and is now known as Rosy Moran-Cobb. She continues to work as a fundraising and events manager for liberal political causes.
As the spouse of an MP, Rosy advocates for policies aligned with the Liberal Democrats and campaigns locally on Layla Moran’s behalf.
She offers behind-the-scenes support and advice to her wife. The Morans consider themselves a normal, low-key couple who share progressive values.
Their marriage is noteworthy as one of the first same-sex partnerships between openly LGBTQ female partners in British parliamentary history.
By tying the knot, Layla Moran and Rosy Cobb further cement themselves as trailblazers for LGBTQ visibility and rights in the political sphere.
