Bexhill and Battle (UK Parliament constituency)
Bexhill and Battle | |
---|---|
County constituency for the House of Commons | |
![]() Boundaries since 2024 | |
![]() Boundary of Bexhill and Battle in South East England | |
County | East Sussex |
Population | 100,727 (2011 census)[1] |
Electorate | 70,869 (2023)[2] |
Major settlements | Battle, Bexhill, Pevensey |
Current constituency | |
Created | 1983 |
Member of Parliament | Kieran Mullan (Conservative) |
Seats | One |
Created from | Eastbourne and Rye[3] |
Bexhill and Battle (/ˈbɛkshɪl/) is a constituency[n 1] in East Sussex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Kieran Mullan of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
Constituency profile
[edit]The constituency is predominantly rural, like Wealden to the west. The main towns are the shingle-beach resort of Bexhill-on-Sea and the historic town of Battle. Electoral Calculus describes the seat as "Strong Right" characterised by retired, socially conservative voters who strongly supported Brexit.[4]
Notable representatives
[edit]The seat's first MP, Charles Wardle, served as a junior Home Office minister in the government of John Major; Wardle had the Conservative whip removed shortly before the 2001 general election. The seat was held by Gregory Barker from 2001 until 2015; Barker was a junior minister at the Department for Energy and Climate Change between the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition after the 2010 general election and the major government reshuffle of July 2014, when he resigned and announced his intention to retire from Parliament at the next general election.[5]
Political history
[edit]At the 2015 general election, Huw Merriman was elected, and was re-elected in the 2017 general election. The closest it came to a non-Conservative victory was in 2001, when Barker, in the first of his three successful campaigns, was returned by a margin of 10,503 votes.
In June 2016, an estimated 57.7% of local adults voting in the EU membership referendum chose to leave the European Union instead of to remain. This was matched in two January 2018 votes in Parliament by its MP.[6]
Boundaries
[edit]1983–2010:
- The District of Rother wards of Ashburnham, Battle, Beckley and Peasmarsh, Bodiam and Ewhurst, Brede and Udimore, Burwash, Catsfield and Crowhurst, Central, Collington, Etchingham and Hurst Green, Northiam, Old Town, Sackville, St Mark's, St Michael's, St Stephen's, Salehurst, Sedlescombe and Whatlington, Sidley, Ticehurst, and Westfield
- The District of Wealden wards of Herstmonceux, Ninfield, and Pevensey and Westham.
2010–2024:
- The District of Rother wards of Battle Town, Central, Collington, Crowhurst, Darwell, Ewhurst and Sedlescombe, Kewhurst, Old Town, Rother Levels, Sackville, St Mark's, St Michael's, St Stephen's, Salehurst, Sidley, and Ticehurst and Etchingham
- The District of Wealden wards of Cross In Hand/Five Ashes, Heathfield East, Heathfield North and Central, Herstmonceux, Ninfield and Hooe with Wartling, and Pevensey and Westham.
2024–present:
- The District of Rother wards of: Bexhill Central; Bexhill Collington; Bexhill Kewhurst; Bexhill Old Town & Worsham; Bexhill Pebsham & St. Michaels; Bexhill Sackville; Bexhill St. Marks; Bexhill St. Stephens; Bexhill Sidley; Brede & Udimore; Burwash & the Weald; Catsfield & Crowhurst; Hurst Green & Ticehurst; North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington; Northern Rother; Robertsbridge; Sedlescombe & Westfield; South Battle & Telham.
- The District of Wealden wards of: Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels; Pevensey Bay.[7]
- To bring the electorate within the permitted range, western areas, including the town of Heathfield, were transferred to Sussex Weald. Other minor changes.
Members of Parliament
[edit]Eastbourne and Rye prior to 1983
Election | Member[8] | Party | |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Charles Wardle | Conservative | |
2001 | Independent | ||
2001 | Gregory Barker | Conservative | |
2015 | Huw Merriman | Conservative | |
2024 | Kieran Mullan | Conservative |
Elections
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Bexhill_%26_Battle_Results_1983-2019.png/220px-Bexhill_%26_Battle_Results_1983-2019.png)
Elections in the 2020s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Kieran Mullan | 16,186 | 33.9 | −27.9 | |
Labour | Christine Bayliss | 13,529 | 28.3 | +7.5 | |
Reform UK | Ian Gribbin | 7,929 | 16.6 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Becky Jones | 3,473 | 7.3 | −6.1 | |
Green | Jonathan Kent | 2,972 | 6.2 | +2.1 | |
Independent | Abul Azad | 2,206 | 4.6 | N/A | |
Independent | Jeff Newnham | 769 | 1.6 | N/A | |
Party of Women | Julia Long | 332 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Ind. Network | Nigel Jacklin | 210 | 0.4 | N/A | |
UKIP | Colin Sullivan | 144 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Majority | 2,657 | 5.6 | −38.5 | ||
Turnout | 47,750 | 66.4 | −3.8 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | ![]() |
Elections in the 2010s
[edit]2019 notional result[10] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Vote | % | |
Conservative | 30,716 | 61.8 | |
Labour | 10,332 | 20.8 | |
Liberal Democrats | 6,658 | 13.4 | |
Green | 2,031 | 4.1 | |
Turnout | 49,737 | 70.2 | |
Electorate | 70,869 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Huw Merriman | 37,590 | 63.6 | +1.6 | |
Labour | Christine Bayliss | 11,531 | 19.5 | −5.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Martin Saunders | 7,280 | 12.3 | +4.8 | |
Green | Jonathan Kent | 2,692 | 4.6 | +2.2 | |
Majority | 26,059 | 44.1 | +6.8 | ||
Turnout | 59,093 | 72.1 | −1.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +3.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Huw Merriman | 36,854 | 62.0 | +7.2 | |
Labour | Christine Bayliss | 14,689 | 24.7 | +10.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Joel Kemp | 4,485 | 7.5 | −0.1 | |
UKIP | Geoffrey Bastin | 2,006 | 3.4 | −15.0 | |
Green | Jonathan Kent | 1,438 | 2.4 | −2.7 | |
Majority | 22,165 | 37.3 | +0.9 | ||
Turnout | 59,472 | 73.1 | +3.0 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Huw Merriman[13] | 30,245 | 54.8 | +3.2 | |
UKIP | Geoffrey Bastin [14] | 10,170 | 18.4 | N/A | |
Labour | Michelle Thew [14] | 7,797 | 14.1 | +2.1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Rachel Sadler [14] | 4,199 | 7.6 | −20.4 | |
Green | Jonathan Kent | 2,807 | 5.1 | N/A | |
Majority | 20,075 | 36.4 | +12.8 | ||
Turnout | 55,218 | 70.1 | +1.2 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gregory Barker | 28,147 | 51.6 | −2.6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mary Varrall | 15,267 | 28.0 | +5.3 | |
Labour | James Royston | 6,524 | 12.0 | −5.9 | |
Trust | Stuart Wheeler | 2,699 | 4.9 | N/A | |
BNP | Neil Jackson | 1,950 | 3.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 12,880 | 23.6 | −7.9 | ||
Turnout | 54,587 | 68.9 | +2.1 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.0 |
Elections in the 2000s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gregory Barker | 24,629 | 52.6 | +4.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Mary Varrall | 11,180 | 23.9 | −0.8 | |
Labour | Michael Jones | 8,457 | 18.1 | −1.3 | |
UKIP | Anthony Smith | 2,568 | 5.5 | −2.3 | |
Majority | 13,449 | 28.7 | +5.3 | ||
Turnout | 46,834 | 67.2 | +2.3 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +2.7 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Gregory Barker | 21,555 | 48.1 | 0.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stephen Hardy | 11,052 | 24.7 | −0.8 | |
Labour | Anne Moore-Williams | 8,702 | 19.4 | +1.3 | |
UKIP | Nigel Farage | 3,474 | 7.8 | +6.2 | |
Majority | 10,503 | 23.4 | +0.8 | ||
Turnout | 44,783 | 64.9 | −9.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | +0.4 |
Elections in the 1990s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Wardle | 23,570 | 48.1 | −12.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Kathryn M. Field | 12,470 | 25.5 | −3.4 | |
Labour | Robert D. Beckwith | 8,866 | 18.1 | +8.7 | |
Referendum | Vanessa Thompson | 3,302 | 6.7 | N/A | |
UKIP | John Pankhurst | 786 | 1.6 | N/A | |
Majority | 11,100 | 22.6 | −8.8 | ||
Turnout | 48,994 | 74.5 | −4.6 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.4 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Wardle | 31,380 | 60.3 | −6.2 | |
Liberal Democrats | Susan M. Prochak | 15,023 | 28.9 | +3.1 | |
Labour | Frank W. Taylor | 4,883 | 9.4 | +1.7 | |
Green | Jonathan L. Prus | 594 | 1.1 | N/A | |
Independent | Mary F. Smith | 190 | 0.4 | N/A | |
Majority | 16,357 | 31.4 | −9.3 | ||
Turnout | 52,070 | 79.1 | +1.7 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −4.6 |
Elections in the 1980s
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Wardle | 33,570 | 66.5 | −0.8 | |
SDP | Robert Kiernan | 13,051 | 25.8 | +2.3 | |
Labour | Derek Watts | 3,903 | 7.7 | −0.3 | |
Majority | 20,519 | 40.7 | −3.1 | ||
Turnout | 50,524 | 77.4 | +4.5 | ||
Conservative hold | Swing | −1.6 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Charles Wardle | 30,329 | 67.3 | ||
Liberal | Paul Smith | 10,583 | 23.5 | ||
Labour | Ian Pearson | 3,587 | 8.0 | ||
Ecology | Anne Rix | 538 | 1.2 | ||
Majority | 19,746 | 43.8 | |||
Turnout | 45,037 | 72.9 | |||
Conservative win (new seat) |
See also
[edit]- List of parliamentary constituencies in East Sussex
- List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
Notes
[edit]- ^ A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- ^ As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
References
[edit]- ^ "Bexhill and Battle: Usual Resident Population, 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 22 June 2024.
- ^ "'Bexhill and Battle', June 1983 up to May 1997". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Lewes
- ^ "As it happened: PM reshuffles cabinet". 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ TheyWorkForYou (17 January 2018). "European Union (Withdrawal) Bill — Reject Third Reading — Membership of the European Union: Recent Votes". TheyWorkForYou. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
- ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
- ^ Ford, Lorna (7 June 2024). "Election of a Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle" (PDF). Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via Rother District Council.
- ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Bexhill & Battle Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Cllr Huw Merriman is selected for Bexhill and Battle". Conservative Home. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ a b c "BEXHILL & BATTLE 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
- ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "BBC News – Election 2010 – Constituency – Bexhill & Battle". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
- ^ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
- ^ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Sources
[edit]- Election result, 2005 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 – 2001 (BBC)
- Election results, 1997 – 2001 Archived 2020-01-21 at the Wayback Machine (Election Demon)
- Election results, 1983 – 1992 (Election Demon) (Result is incorrect for 1992)
- Election results, 1992 – 2005 (Guardian)
External links
[edit]- Bexhill and Battle UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 2010 – May 2024) at MapIt UK
- Bexhill and Battle UK Parliament constituency (boundaries from June 2024) at MapIt UK