Sir Robert Edward Russell (born 31 March 1946) is a former Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom who was the Member of Parliament for Colchester from 1997 to 2015. He was first elected at the 1997 United Kingdom general election and won subsequent re-election in 2001, 2005 and 2010; he was defeated in 2015 United Kingdom general election by the Conservative candidate and Colchester MP Will Quince.

Russell was knighted for public service in the 2012 New Year Honours.^[1] He holds the ceremonial position of High Steward of Colchester.

Prior to his first election to the House of Commons, Russell was a councillor representing New Town ward continuously from 1978 to 2002. He was originally elected as a Labour Party candidate before defecting to the Social Democratic Party in 1981, and then standing as a Liberal Democrat candidate from 1988 onwards. He held a dual mandate of Member of Parliament and councillor from 1997 to 2002.

He was leader of Colchester Borough Council ^[when?] until 1991,^{[citation needed]} having previously served as Mayor of Colchester for the year 1986–87.

Prior to standing as parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats, Russell stood unsuccessfully for Parliament for Colchester in 1979 as a Labour candidate.^{[citation needed]}

Russell was the Liberal Democrats' spokesman on Culture, Media and Sport from 2002 to 2005, when he was replaced by Don Foster. He was a member of the Liberal Democrat Shadow Defence team until the formation of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat Coalition Government on 11 May 2010, at which point he became a backbencher.^[2]

At the 2010 general election Russell's majority was 6,982 votes (15.1%).^[3] In 2011, Russell was a member of the special Select Committee set up to scrutinise the Armed Forces Bill which was passed.^[4]

During his period in parliament, Russell was a member of the Beveridge Group, vice-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Flag Group and sat on the Defence Select Committee.^[5]

Following his defeat at the 2015 general election, he was appointed the High Steward of Colchester (also known as High Sheriff of Colchester), a position he currently holds. He stood at the 2017 general election as the Liberal Democrat candidate for his former seat, but slumped to third place.^[6]

Russell is a former season ticket holder for Colchester United football club, and wrote the foreword for a history of the club.^[14]