Eastbourne (UK Parliament constituency)

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 has been represented since 2024 by Josh Babarinde, a Liberal Democrat.

Eastbourne
Borough constituency for the House of Commons
Interactive map of boundaries from 2024
Boundary of Eastbourne in South East England
County	East Sussex
Electorate	73,322 (2023)[1]
Major settlements	Eastbourne
Current constituency
Created	1885
Member of Parliament	Josh Babarinde (Liberal Democrats)
Seats	One
Created from	East Sussex

Constituency profile

The constituency contains urban and suburban developments, with its boundaries since 2024 matching those of Eastbourne Borough Council.^[2] 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, having previously included neighbouring towns such as Willingdon, East Dean, and Polegate.

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).

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 1990 to 2019 inclusive

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, 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%.^[4] In 2015, the seat was won by Caroline Ansell, making it the 9th most marginal of the Conservative Party's 331 seats, by share of the vote.^[5] Ansell held the seat from 2015 to 2017 and again from 2019 to 2024, in both cases beating the Lloyd, who held it from 2010 to 2015 and again from 2017 to 2019.^{[n 2]}

In 2024, the seat was once again recaptured for the Liberal Democrats by Josh Babarinde, this time with a healthy majority of 26.8%.

Boundaries

Historic

Map of boundaries 2010–2024

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.^[2]

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

Election		Member[6]	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
	2024	Josh Babarinde	Liberal Democrats

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

General election 2024: Eastbourne^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Josh Babarinde	23,742	52.1	+9.2
	Conservative	Caroline Ansell	11,538	25.3	−21.8
	Reform UK	Mark Ashdown	6,061	13.3	+10.6
	Labour	Paul Richards	2,689	5.9	−1.0
	Green	Mike Munson	1,424	3.1	N/A
	UKIP	Ian Garbutt	154	0.3	N/A
Majority			12,204	26.8	N/A
Turnout			45,608	62.8	−7.1
Registered electors			72,592
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+15.5

Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result[8]
Party		Vote	%
	Conservative	24,137	47.1
	Liberal Democrats	21,969	42.9
	Labour	3,560	6.9
	Brexit Party	1,408	2.7
	Others	185	0.4
Turnout		51,259	69.9
Electorate		73,322

General election 2019: Eastbourne^[9]

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	N/A
	Independent	Ken Pollock	185	0.3	N/A
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^[10][11]

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

See also: Opinion polling in United Kingdom constituencies, 2010–15 § Eastbourne

General election 2015: Eastbourne^[12][13]

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	N/A
	Independent	Paul Howard	139	0.3	N/A
Majority			733	1.4	N/A
Turnout			52,907	67.6	+0.6
	Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing	+4.0

General election 2010: Eastbourne^[14][15]

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	N/A
	UKIP	Roger Needham	1,305	2.5	±0.0
	BNP	Colin Poulter	939	1.8	N/A
	Independent	Michael Baldry	101	0.2	N/A
	Independent	Keith Gell	74	0.1	N/A
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^[16]

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	N/A
Majority			1,124	2.4	−2.4
Turnout			48,392	64.8	+5.2
	Conservative hold		Swing	−1.2

General election 2001: Eastbourne^[17]

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	N/A
	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^[18]

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	N/A
	Liberal	Theresia Williamson	741	1.4	N/A
	Natural Law	John Dawkins	254	0.5	N/A
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^[19][20]

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

1990 Eastbourne by-election

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	N/A
	Corrective Party	Lady Whiplash	216	0.5	N/A
	National Front	John McAuley	154	0.3	N/A
	Ironside Party	Eric Page	35	0.1	N/A
Majority			4,550	9.8	N/A
Turnout			46,072	60.7	−14.9
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	+20.0

Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Eastbourne^[21]

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	N/A
Majority			16,923	30.2	+4.9
Turnout			56,046	75.6	+2.6
	Conservative hold		Swing	+2.5

General election 1983: Eastbourne^[22]

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	N/A
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	N/A
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	N/A
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	N/A
	Liberal	John Stafford Gowland	2,797	8.19	N/A
	Independent National	Reg Hipwell	524	1.54	N/A
Majority			5,536	16.22	N/A
Turnout			34,131	77.35	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

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

General election 1929: Eastbourne^[23]

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	N/A
Majority			9,953	27.4	−6.3
Turnout			36,450	74.5	+13.7
	Unionist hold		Swing	−7.0

1925 Eastbourne by-election^[23]

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

General election 1924: Eastbourne^[23]

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	N/A
Majority			13,365	51.8	+44.2
Turnout			25,839	77.6	+0.6
	Unionist hold		Swing	+22.1

General election 1923: Eastbourne^[24]

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^[24]

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 ^[24]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
C	Unionist	Rupert Gwynne	11,357	63.6	+5.3
	Labour	Thomas Burleigh Hasdell	4,641	26.0	N/A
	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;

• Unionist: Rupert Gwynne
• Liberal:

Morison

General election December 1910: Eastbourne^[25][26]

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^[25]

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^[27][26]

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^[27][28][26]

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^[27][28][26]

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^[27][26]

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^[27][26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Edward Field	3,760	60.1	+9.6
	Liberal	James Clifton Brown[29]	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 ^[27][30][26]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Edward Field	3,561	50.5
	Liberal	George Wallis	3,497	49.5
Majority			64	1.0
Turnout			7,058	83.0
Registered electors			8,504
	Conservative win (new seat)

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in East Sussex
• List of parliamentary constituencies in the South East England (region)
• Boundary Commissions (United Kingdom)
• Sixth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies

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.