Bexhill and Battle (UK Parliament constituency)

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]}

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]

Constituency profile

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

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

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

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

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:

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the constituency is now composed of the following (as they existed on 1 December 2020):

• 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 the new constituency of Sussex Weald. Other minor changes to take account of revised ward boundaries.

Members of Parliament

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

Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Bexhill and Battle^[9]

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	−17.7

Elections in the 2010s

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

General election 2019: Bexhill & Battle^[11]

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

General election 2017: Bexhill & Battle

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

General election 2015: Bexhill and Battle^[12]

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

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 2005 and 2010 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

General election 2010: Bexhill and Battle^[15][16]

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

General election 2005: Bexhill and Battle^[17]

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

General election 2001: Bexhill and Battle^[18]

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

General election 1997: Bexhill and Battle^[19]

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

General election 1992: Bexhill and Battle^[20][21]

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

General election 1987: Bexhill and Battle^[22]

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

General election 1983: Bexhill and Battle^[23]

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

• List of parliamentary constituencies in East Sussex
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)

Notes

1. A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
2. 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

1. "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.
2. "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.
3. "'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.
4. Electoral Calculus https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/seatdetails.py?seat=Lewes
5. "As it happened: PM reshuffles cabinet". BBC News. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
6. 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.
7. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
8. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 3)
9. Ford, Lorna (7 June 2024). "Election of a Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle" (PDF). Retrieved 8 June 2024 – via Rother District Council.
10. "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.
11. "Bexhill & Battle Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
12. "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
13. "Cllr Huw Merriman is selected for Bexhill and Battle". Conservative Home. 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
14. "BEXHILL & BATTLE 2015". electionresults.blogspot.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
15. "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
16. "BBC News – Election 2010 – Constituency – Bexhill & Battle". news.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
17. "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
18. "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
19. "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
20. "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
21. "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
22. "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
23. "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.

Sources

• 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

• Bexhill and Battle UK Parliament constituency (boundaries April 1997 – April 2010) at MapIt UK
• 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

50.886°N 0.470°E / 50.886; 0.470