Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)

Constituency profile

The Eastbourne constituency is located in East Sussex. It covers the large town of Eastbourne and is coterminous with its borough. Eastbourne is a seaside resort town on England's south coast and is popular with tourists. The town is known for its Victorian architecture and was mostly developed in the late 19th century by William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire. The town has high levels of deprivation, particularly in the town centre and the northern suburbs, although the west of the town is wealthy. House prices are lower than the national average and considerably lower than the rest of South East England.

Compared to the country as a whole, residents of Eastbourne are generally older and have lower levels of education. They have low incomes and are less likely to work in professional occupations. White people made up 91% of the population at the 2021 census. At the local council level, most of the town is represented by Liberal Democrats with some Conservative councillors elected in the outer suburbs. An estimated 57% of voters in Eastbourne supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum, higher than the nationwide rate of 52%.

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).

From safe seat to marginal seat

With the exception of the landslide Liberal victory in 1906, the seat returned Conservative Party candidates at every election from its creation in 1885 until 1987. The seat in the 1930s saw three unopposed candidates: in 1932, March 1935 and November 1935. 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 was first won by the Liberal Democrats at the 1990 by-election. Although it was recaptured by the Conservatives at the subsequent general election in 1992 and held until 2010, it became a marginal, or swing seat, from 1990 onwards, being closely fought for between the two locally dominant parties. In the nine elections from 1990 to 2019, the winning majority was never more than 10%, and the seat has changed hands between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates at each of the five elections from 2010 to 2024 inclusive.

Recent results

A Liberal Democrat, Stephen Lloyd, regained the seat at the 2010 general election, beating incumbent Conservative MP Nigel Waterson who had won the previous four elections. The 2010 result saw Eastbourne return the sixth-lowest Labour share of the vote of the 631 candidates who stood at the election, with only 4.8%.

In 2015, the seat was won by Caroline Ansell by just 773 votes, making it the 9th most marginal of the Conservative Party's 331 seats, by share of the vote. Ansell held the seat from 2015 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2024, in both cases beating Lloyd, who held it from 2010 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2019.

In 2024, the seat was once again recaptured for the Liberal Democrats by Josh Babarinde, this time with a healthy majority of 26.8%. This made 2024 the first election since the constituency's creation that a Conservative candidate was not within 10% of the winning vote.

Boundaries

Historic

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.

2010–2024: As prior, less East Dean.

Current

Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the boundaries of the constituency are now coterminous with the Borough of Eastbourne.

In order to bring its electorate within the permitted range, the parts within the District of Wealden were transferred to the Lewes constituency.

Members of Parliament

East Sussex prior to 1885

By-elections

• 1925 Eastbourne by-election (Con, hold), following the resignation of the Conservative MP Sir George Ambrose Lloyd
• 1932 Eastbourne by-election (Con, hold), following the death of the Conservative MP Edward Marjoribanks
• 1935 Eastbourne by-election (Con, hold), following the death of the Conservative MP John Slater
• 1990 Eastbourne by-election (LD, gain), following the assassination of the Conservative MP Ian Gow by members of the Provisional IRA.

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

Elections in the 2010s

Elections in the 2000s

Elections in the 1990s

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.

Elections in the 1980s

Elections in the 1970s

Elections in the 1960s

Elections in the 1950s

Election in the 1940s

Elections in the 1930s

Elections in the 1920s

Elections in the 1910s

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;

• Unionist: Rupert Gwynne
• Liberal:

|reg. electors=14,172

|reg. electors=14,172

Elections in the 1900s

|reg. electors=12,913

|reg. electors=11,248

Elections in the 1890s

|reg. electors=10,563

|reg. electors=10,029

Elections in the 1880s

|reg. electors=8,504

|reg. electors = 8,504

Notes

References

Sources

• Election result, 2005 (BBC)
• Election results, 1997–2001 (BBC)
• Election results, 1997–2001 (Election Demon)
• Election results, 1983–1992
• Election results, 1992–2005 (Guardian)
• Election results, 1950–2001 (Keele University)

References

1. "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023".
2. Surtees, Dr John. (2002). "Eastbourne, A History". Phillimore.
3. "Constituency data: Deprivation in England".
4. "Seat Details - Eastbourne".
5. (6 February 2017). "Ward level results from the EU referendum". Medium.
6. "Electoral Commission – Previous UK general elections".
7. "Conservative Members of Parliament 2015".
8. {{Rayment-hc. e. 1. (March 2012)
9. (7 June 2024). "Notice of Poll, Statement of Persons Nominated and Situation of Polling Stations – Eastbourne Constituency – 4th July 2024". [[Eastbourne Borough Council]].
10. "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". [[UK Parliament]].
11. (14 Nov 2019). "UK Parliamentary election: Eastbourne constituency Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll".
12. (27 April 2017). "The Conservative candidates running to be MPs".
13. (9 June 2017). "BBC Election Results".
14. "Election Data 2015". [[Electoral Calculus]].
15. "Eastbourne parliamentary constituency – Election 2017".
16. "Election Data 2010". [[Electoral Calculus]].
17. "Election Data 2005". [[Electoral Calculus]].
18. "Election Data 2001". [[Electoral Calculus]].
19. "Election Data 1997". [[Electoral Calculus]].
20. "Election Data 1992". [[Electoral Calculus]].
21. (9 April 1992). "Politics Resources". Politics Resources.
22. "Election Data 1987". [[Electoral Calculus]].
23. "Election Data 1983". [[Electoral Calculus]].
24. F W S Craig, British Parliamentary Election Results 1918–1949; Political Reference Publications, Glasgow 1949
25. Craig, F. W. S. (1983). British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. {{ISBN. 0-900178-06-X.
26. (1974). "British Parliamentary Election Results: 1885–1918". Macmillan Press.
27. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1916
28. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1901
29. (23 Jun 1886). "Meeting of the Council". [[Eastbourne Gazette]].
30. The Liberal Year Book, 1907
31. Debrett's House of Commons & Judicial Bench, 1886