Bexhill and Battle

The Bexhill and Battle constituency is located in East Sussex. It lies mostly within the Rother local government district and partly within the Wealden district. The constituency contains the coastal area between Bexhill-on-Sea and Pevensey Bay and extensive inland rural areas within the High Weald National Landscape. Bexhill-on-Sea is the largest settlement in the constituency with a population of around 44,000. Other settlements include the small town of Battle and the villages of Robertsbridge and Ticehurst.

Bexhill-on-Sea is a seaside resort town and Battle is known for its association with the 1066 Battle of Hastings, which took place where the town now stands. Residents of the constituency are significantly older than the national average and are less wealthy than other parts of South East England. White people make up 96% of the population.^[4] At the most recent district council election in 2023, voters in Bexhill-on-Sea elected primarily Labour Party and independent councillors, whilst seats in the rural parts of the constituency were mostly won by Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. A majority of voters in Bexhill and Battle, estimated at 59%, supported leaving the European Union in the 2016 referendum.^[4]

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]

The constituency was created in 1983 as the replacement for the Rye parliamentary constituency.^[3] At the 2015 general election, Huw Merriman was elected, and was re-elected in the 2017 general election.

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]

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 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.

Rye prior to 1983

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