A linear motor and a linear compressor including said motor. The linear motor comprises a set of inner laminations (90), forming the stator, mounted around the outer circumference of a fixed member (60), and a set of outer laminations (30) mounted spaced from the inner laminations (90). An actuator (85) is connected to a movable member (80) and carries a magnet member (86) in the space defined between the inner laminations (90) and the outer laminations (30). The upper ends of the inner laminations (90) and outer laminations (30) are connected by a connecting element (100) made of a non-magnetic material, in order to stabilize the laminations and serve as a suspension mounting for the set of outer laminations (30). Application of electric current to a coil (95) causes the actuator (85) to move and carry the movable member (80) with it. The fixed member (60) is defined by the cylinder of the compressor and the movable member (80) by the piston, which is reciprocated inside the cylinder to compress a refrigerant gas, and the connecting element (100) does not contact the cylinder. This arrangement does not require any special configuration of the cylinder or use of an additional plate to provide the connection to the outer laminations.