Eastbourne
Borough constituency
for the House of Commons
Outline map
Boundary of Eastbourne in East Sussex
Outline map
Location of East Sussex within England
CountyEast Sussex
Electorate79,307 (December 2019)[1]
Major settlementsEastbourne
Current constituency
Created1885
Member of ParliamentCaroline Ansell (Conservative)
SeatsOne
Created fromEast Sussex

Eastbourne is a constituency for the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It was created as one of nine in Sussex in 1885, since when it has reduced in geographic size reflecting the growth of its main settlement, Eastbourne.[n 1]

The seat was re-won in 2019 by Caroline Ansell, a Conservative who ousted Liberal Democrat Stephen Lloyd; she earlier did so in 2015.[n 2] Since the seat's creation it has been won by candidates from either of these two political parties (and their early forebears, the Liberal Party and the Unionist Party). The seat has had four by-elections, lastly in 1990.

For 94 years of the 20th Century, the seat was represented by Conservative MPs. The seat in the 1930s saw three unopposed candidates: in 1932, March 1935 and November 1935. Eastbourne has been considered relative to others a very marginal seat, as well as a swing seat, since 1997 as its winner's majority has been at most 7.86% of the vote. A 8.9% majority Tory re-gain took place in 1992 and since 2010 the seat has changed hands (between the two parties mentioned) all four possible times.

Members of Parliament

Election Member[2] Party
1885 Edward Field Conservative
1900 Sir Lindsay Hogg Conservative
1906 Hubert Beaumont Liberal
January 1910 Rupert Gwynne Conservative
1924 Sir George Lloyd Conservative
1925 by-election Sir Reginald Hall Conservative
1929 Edward Marjoribanks Conservative
1932 by-election John Slater Conservative
1935 by-election Sir Charles Taylor Conservative
February 1974 Ian Gow Conservative
1990 by-election David Bellotti Liberal Democrats
1992 Nigel Waterson Conservative
2010 Stephen Lloyd Liberal Democrats
2015 Caroline Ansell Conservative
2017 Stephen Lloyd Liberal Democrats
 December 2018 Independent
 September 2019 Liberal Democrats
2019 Caroline Ansell Conservative

Constituency profile

The constituency contains urban and suburban developments, including the whole of the Eastbourne Borough Council administrative area, as well as the village of Willingdon on its outskirts, which forms a small part of the Wealden District Council administrative area.

Eastbourne itself is on the edge of the London Commuter Belt and is a coastal resort town. The Eastbourne seat has narrowed at every Boundary Commission Periodic Review, as the population of the core town has grown.

Chris Hanretty, the Professor of Politics at Royal Holloway, estimated that Eastbourne voted 57.6% to 42.4% in favour of leaving the European Union during the 2016 referendum.[3]

History

Origin

This seat was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885. This zone had been in the East Sussex constituency, which in turn had been created with two seats by the Reform Act 1832 as a division of the 13th century-founded Sussex parliamentary county which had two seats (returned two knights of the shire).

Boundaries

1885–1918: The Corporate Towns of Pevensey and Seaford, the Sessional Divisions of Hailsham and Uckfield (except the parishes of East Hoathly and Waldron), and part of the Sessional Division of Lewes.

1918–1950: The Borough of Eastbourne, the Rural District of Eastbourne, and in the Rural District of Hailsham the parishes of Arlington, Chalvington, Chiddingly, Hailsham, Hellingly, Laughton, and Ripe.

1950–1955: The Boroughs of Eastbourne and Bexhill, and in the Rural District of Hailsham the parishes of East Dean, Friston, Hooe, Jevington, Ninfield, Pevensey, Polegate, Wartling, Westham, and Willingdon.

1955–1974: The Borough of Eastbourne, and part of the Rural District of Hailsham.

1974–1983: The Borough of Eastbourne, and in the Rural District of Hailsham the parishes of East Dean, Friston, Jevington, Pevensey, Polegate, Westdean, Westham, and Willingdon.

1983–1997: The Borough of Eastbourne, and the District of Wealden wards of Polegate North, Polegate South, and Willingdon.

1997–2010: As prior, substituting East Dean for the Polegate wards.

2010–present: As prior, less East Dean.

Proposed

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, enacted by the Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023, the composition of the constituency from the next general election, due by January 2025, will be reduced to bring its electorate within the permitted range by transferring the parts within District of Wealden to the Lewes constituency. The boundaries will now be coterminous with those of the Borough of Eastbourne.[4]

From safe seat to marginal seat

Results of all deposit-keeping candidates in their bid be the MP for Eastbourne (UK House of Commons), from and including the 1990 result

From 1910 until 1987 the seat returned Conservative Party candidates at every election. The large rural vote within the seat, until boundary changes in 1983, resulted in strong Conservative support – rural English voters tended to be richer and more right-wing (anti-socialist, pro-Empire before 1960s, pro-Established Church and pro-defence) compared to other voters.

The seat became a marginal, or swing seat, from the 1990 by-election onwards, being closely fought for between the two locally dominant parties. A Liberal Democrat gained the seat at the 2010 general election, in a vote which saw Eastbourne return the sixth-lowest Labour share of the vote of the 631 candidates who stood at the election, with only 4.8%.[5] In 2015, the seat was the 9th most marginal of the Conservative Party's 331 seats, by share of the vote.[6]

By-elections

Election results by decade

Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Eastbourne[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Ansell 26,951 48.9 +4.8
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lloyd 22,620 41.0 -5.9
Labour Jake Lambert 3,848 7.0 -1.1
Brexit Party Stephen Gander 1,530 2.8 New
Independent Ken Pollock 185 0.3 New
Majority 4,331 7.9 N/A
Turnout 55,134 69.5 -3.4
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +5.3
General election 2017: Eastbourne[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lloyd 26,924 46.9 +8.7
Conservative Caroline Ansell 25,315 44.1 +4.5
Labour Jake Lambert 4,671 8.1 +0.3
Green Alex Hough 510 0.9 -1.7
Majority 1,609 2.8 N/A
Turnout 57,420 72.9 +5.3
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +2.1
General election 2015: Eastbourne[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Ansell 20,934 39.6 -1.1
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lloyd 20,201 38.2 -9.1
UKIP Nigel Jones 6,139 11.6 +9.1
Labour Jake Lambert 4,143 7.8 +3.0
Green Andrew Durling 1,351 2.6 New
Independent Paul Howard 139 0.3 New
Majority 733 1.4 New
Turnout 52,907 67.6 +0.6
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +4.0
General election 2010: Eastbourne[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lloyd 24,658 47.3 +5.6
Conservative Nigel Waterson 21,223 40.7 -2.3
Labour Dave Brinson 2,497 4.8 -6.0
Independent Stephen Shing 1,327 2.5 New
UKIP Roger Needham 1,305 2.5 ±0.0
BNP Colin Poulter 939 1.8 New
Independent Michael Baldry 101 0.2 New
Independent Keith Gell 74 0.1 New
Majority 3,435 6.6 N/A
Turnout 52,124 67.0 +3.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +4.0

Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Eastbourne[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Waterson 21,033 43.5 −0.6
Liberal Democrats Stephen Lloyd 19,909 41.1 +1.8
Labour Andrew Jones 5,268 10.9 −2.4
UKIP Andrew Meggs 1,233 2.5 +0.5
Green Clive Gross 949 2.0 New
Majority 1,124 2.4 -2.4
Turnout 48,392 64.8 +5.2
Conservative hold Swing -1.2
General election 2001: Eastbourne[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Waterson 19,738 44.1 +2.0
Liberal Democrats Chris Berry 17,584 39.3 +1.0
Labour Gillian Roles 5,967 13.3 +0.8
UKIP Barry Jones 907 2.0 New
Liberal Theresia Williamson 574 1.3 −0.1
Majority 2,154 4.8 +1.0
Turnout 44,770 59.6 −13.2
Conservative hold Swing +1.5

Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Eastbourne[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Waterson 22,183 42.1 −10.9
Liberal Democrats Chris Berry 20,189 38.3 −2.9
Labour David Lines 6,576 12.5 +7.8
Referendum Trevor Lowe 2,724 5.2 New
Liberal Theresia Williamson 741 1.4 New
Natural Law John Dawkins 254 0.5 New
Majority 1,994 3.8 -5.1
Turnout 52,667 72.8 -8.1
Conservative hold Swing -4.0

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation.

General election 1992: Eastbourne[17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Waterson 31,792 51.6 −8.3
Liberal Democrats David Bellotti 26,311 42.7 +13.0
Labour Ivan A. Gibbons 2,834 4.6 −4.2
Green David Aherne 391 0.6 −0.9
Liberal MT Williamson 296 0.5 −29.3
Majority 5,481 8.9 −21.3
Turnout 61,624 80.9 +5.3
Conservative hold Swing −10.7
By-election 1990: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Bellotti 23,415 50.8 +21.1
Conservative Richard Hickmet 18,865 41.0 -18.9
Labour Charlotte Atkins 2,308 5.0 -3.8
Green David Aherne 553 1.2 -0.4
Liberal Theresia Williamson 526 1.1 New
Corrective Party Lady Whiplash 216 0.5 New
National Front John McAuley 154 0.3 New
Ironside Party Eric Page 35 0.1 New
Majority 4,550 9.8 New
Turnout 46,072 60.7 -14.9
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +20.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Eastbourne[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gow 33,587 59.9 +0.8
Liberal Peter Driver 16,664 29.7 -4.1
Labour Ash Patel 4,928 8.8 +1.7
Green Ruth Addison 867 1.6 New
Majority 16,923 30.2 +4.9
Turnout 56,046 75.6 +2.6
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
General election 1983: Eastbourne[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gow 31,501 59.1 -3.9
Liberal Peter Driver 18,015 33.8 +15.0
Labour Charles Clark 3,790 7.1 -10.1
Majority 13,486 25.3 -19.0
Turnout 53,306 73.0 -3.7
Conservative hold Swing -9.5

Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gow 37,168 63.1 +8.4
Liberal David Bellotti 11,084 18.8 -7.1
Labour Len Caine 10,166 17.2 -2.3
National Front C Mitchell 533 0.9 New
Majority 26,084 44.3 +15.5
Turnout 58,951 76.7 +2.2
Conservative hold Swing +7.8
General election October 1974: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gow 30,442 54.7 +3.6
Liberal Gurth Hoyer-Millar 14,417 25.9 -13.2
Labour Len Caine 10,830 19.5 +9.9
Majority 16,025 28.8
Turnout 55,689 74.55
Conservative hold Swing +8.4
General election February 1974: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Gow 31,462 51.3
Liberal Stephen Terrell 23,987 39.1
Labour David Dawson 5,874 9.6
Majority 7,475 12.19
Turnout 61,323 82.60
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1970: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 30,296 48.8
Liberal Stephen Terrell 23,308 37.6
Labour Cyril George Abley 8,475 13.7
Majority 6,988 11.2
Turnout 62,079 73.67
Conservative hold Swing -

Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 26,039 46.26
Liberal Stephen Terrell 16,746 29.75
Labour John Harold High 12,620 22.42
Independent Vernon Hubert Petty 883 1.57 New
Majority 9,293 16.51
Turnout 56,288 77.24
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1964: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 26,410 49.01
Liberal Stephen Terrell 15,441 28.66
Labour Co-op Joan E. M. Baker 12,034 22.33
Majority 10,969 20.35
Turnout 53,885 76.70
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 27,874 57.28
Labour Anthony Albert Dumont 11,837 24.32
Liberal Ronald Gardner-Thorpe 8,955 18.40 New
Majority 16,037 32.96
Turnout 48,666 77.28
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1955: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 29,779 65.68
Labour John A. Lewis 15,561 34.32
Majority 14,218 31.36
Turnout 45,340 75.81
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1951: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 39,278 67.15
Labour Christopher Attlee 19,217 32.85
Majority 20,061 34.30
Turnout 58,495 81.93
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1950: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 35,425 59.54
Labour Reginald Groves 18,304 30.77
Liberal Cecil Herbert Louis Douglas-Bate 5,766 9.69
Majority 17,121 28.77
Turnout 59,495 85.08
Conservative hold Swing

Election in the 1940s

General election 1945: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor 18,173 53.24 N/A
Labour Duncan Newman Smith 12,637 37.02 New
Liberal John Stafford Gowland 2,797 8.19 New
Independent National Reg Hipwell 524 1.54 New
Majority 5,536 16.22 N/A
Turnout 34,131 77.35 N/A
Conservative hold

Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor Unopposed
Conservative hold
1935 Eastbourne by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charles Taylor Unopposed
Conservative hold
1932 Eastbourne by-election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Slater Unopposed
Conservative hold
General election 1931: Eastbourne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Marjoribanks 31,240 85.31
Labour A.J. Marshall 5,379 14.69
Majority 25,861 70.62
Turnout 36,619 71.86
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1920s

1929 general election: Eastbourne [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Edward Marjoribanks 18,157 49.9 -8.5
Labour Richard S Chatfield 8,204 22.5 +5.6
Liberal Clive Stuart Saxon Burt 7,812 21.4 -3.3
Ind. Unionist P E Hurst 2,277 6.2 New
Majority 9,953 27.4 -6.3
Turnout 36,450 74.5 +13.7
Unionist hold Swing -7.0
1925 Eastbourne by-election[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Reginald Hall 12,741 58.4 -9.5
Liberal Harcourt Johnstone 5,386 24.7 +8.6
Labour Thomas Williams 3,696 16.9 +0.9
Majority 7,355 33.7 -18.1
Turnout 21,823 60.7 -14.9
Unionist hold Swing -9.0
1924 general election: Eastbourne [21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist George Lloyd 17,533 67.9 +14.1
Liberal Joseph James Davies 4,168 16.1 -30.1
Labour D J Davis 4,138 16.0 New
Majority 13,365 51.8 +44.2
Turnout 25,839 77.6 +0.6
Unionist hold Swing +22.1
General election 1923: Eastbourne[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Rupert Gwynne 13,276 53.8 -6.7
Liberal Thomas Wiles 11,396 46.2 +6.7
Majority 1,880 7.6 -13.4
Turnout 24,672 77.0 -0.2
Unionist hold Swing -6.7
General election 1922: Eastbourne[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Unionist Rupert Gwynne 14,601 60.5 -3.1
Liberal Edward Duke 9,550 39.5 +29.1
Majority 5,051 21.0 -16.6
Turnout 24,151 77.2
Unionist hold Swing -16.1

Elections in the 1910s

Gwynne
General election 1918: Eastbourne [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
C Unionist Rupert Gwynne 11,357 63.6 +5.3
Labour Thomas Burleigh Hasdell 4,641 26.0 New
Liberal Alfred John Callaghan 1,852 10.4 −31.3
Majority 6,716 37.6 +21.0
Turnout 17,850 59.8 −23.4
Unionist hold Swing +18.3
C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government.

General Election 1914–15:

Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;

Morison
General election December 1910: Eastbourne[23][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Gwynne 6,873 58.3 −0.7
Liberal Hector Morison 4,920 41.7 +0.7
Majority 1,953 16.6 −1.4
Turnout 11,793 83.2 −7.1
Registered electors 14,172
Conservative hold Swing −0.7
General election January 1910: Eastbourne[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rupert Gwynne 7,553 59.0 +11.8
Liberal Hector Morison 5,249 41.0 −11.8
Majority 2,304 18.0 N/A
Turnout 12,802 90.3 +3.3
Registered electors 14,172
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.8

Elections in the 1900s

Beaumont
General election 1906: Eastbourne[25][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Hubert Beaumont 5,933 52.8 +6.6
Conservative Lindsay Hogg 5,303 47.2 -6.6
Majority 630 5.6 N/A
Turnout 11,236 87.0 +5.2
Registered electors 12,913
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing +6.6
General election 1900: Eastbourne[25][26][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lindsay Hogg 4,948 53.8 +3.4
Liberal Thomas Seymour Brand 4,254 46.2 −3.4
Majority 694 7.6 +6.8
Turnout 9,202 81.8 +4.0
Registered electors 11,248
Conservative hold Swing +3.4

Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Eastbourne[25][26][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Field 4,139 50.4 −2.0
Liberal Thomas Seymour Brand 4,079 49.6 +2.0
Majority 60 0.8 −4.0
Turnout 8,218 77.8 +0.9
Registered electors 10,563
Conservative hold Swing −2.0
General election 1892: Eastbourne[25][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Field 4,037 52.4 −7.7
Liberal Thomas Seymour Brand 3,674 47.6 +7.7
Majority 363 4.8 −15.4
Turnout 7,711 76.9 +3.3
Registered electors 10,029
Conservative hold Swing −7.7

Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Eastbourne[25][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Field 3,760 60.1 +9.6
Liberal James Clifton Brown[27] 2,501 39.9 −9.6
Majority 1,259 20.2 +19.2
Turnout 6,261 73.6 −9.4
Registered electors 8,504
Conservative hold Swing +9.6
General election 1885: Eastbourne [25][28][24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Field 3,561 50.5
Liberal George Ambrose Wallis 3,497 49.5
Majority 64 1.0
Turnout 7,058 83.0
Registered electors 8,504
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ A borough constituency having first been the alternative form, a county constituency, for the sole modern 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. ↑ "Election history of Eastbourne". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  2. ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "E" (part 1)
  3. ↑ "Ward level results from the EU referendum". Medium. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  5. ↑ "Electoral Commission – Previous UK general elections". www.electoralcommission.org.uk.
  6. ↑ "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015". UK Political.info. Archived from the original on 8 June 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "UK Parliamentary election: Eastbourne constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). 14 November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  8. ↑ "The Conservative candidates running to be MPs". 27 April 2017.
  9. ↑ "BBC Election Results". 9 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  10. ↑ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Eastbourne parliamentary constituency – Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. ↑ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Eastborne election results". BBC. 20 April 2010. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  14. ↑ "Election Data 2005". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Election Data 2001". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  16. ↑ "Election Data 1997". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  17. ↑ "Election Data 1992". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  19. ↑ "Election Data 1987". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Election Data 1983". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  21. 1 2 3 F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
  22. 1 2 3 Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. ISBN 0-900178-06-X.
  23. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Craig, FWS, ed. (1974). British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885-1918. London: Macmillan Press. ISBN 9781349022984.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Liberal Year Book, 1907
  26. 1 2 Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
  27. ↑ "Meeting of the Council". Eastbourne Gazette. 23 June 1886. p. 8. Retrieved 25 November 2017 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ↑ Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886

Sources

50°46′41″N 0°17′10″E / 50.778°N 0.286°E / 50.778; 0.286

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