| Hastings and Rye | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for theHouse of Commons | |
![]() Interactive map of boundaries since 2024 | |
Boundary within South East England | |
| County | East Sussex |
| Electorate | 75,581 (2023)[1] |
| Major settlements | |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1983 |
| Member of Parliament | Helena Dollimore (Labour Co-op) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | |
Hastings and Rye is aconstituency[n 1] inEast Sussex represented in theHouse of Commons of theUK Parliament since2024 byHelena Dollimore of theLabour and Co-operative Party.
As its name suggests, the main settlements in the constituency are the seaside resort ofHastings and smaller nearby tourist town ofRye. The constituency also includes theCinque Port ofWinchelsea and the villages ofFairlight,Winchelsea Beach, Three Oaks,Guestling,Icklesham,Playden,Iden,Rye Harbour,East Guldeford,Camber, andPett.
The constituency is set in a relatively isolated part of the southeast from the railways perspective and so does not enjoy some of the more general affluence of this part of the country. In the 2000 index of multiple deprivation a majority of wards fell within the bottom half of rankings so it can arguably be considered a deprived area.[2] Hastings has some light industry, while Rye has a small port, which includes hire and repair activities for leisure vessels and fishing. Hastings is mostly Labour-voting, whereas Rye and the rest of the areas from Rother council are Conservative.
Property prices in the villages are however rising and are in affluent areas, unlike residential estates in the towns. Three Oaks does enjoy a nearby train station for its residents, which has services allowing connecting services to London.
The constituency was created in 1983 by combining most ofHastings with a small part ofRye. TheConservative MP for Hastings since 1970,Kenneth Warren, won the new seat.[n 2]. Warren held Hastings and Rye until he chose to retire in 1992; during this period its large majorities suggested it was a Conservativesafe seat, with theLiberal Party (now theLiberal Democrats) regularly coming second.Jacqui Lait won the seat on Warren's retirement, but in 1997 theLabour candidateMichael Foster narrowly defeated Lait, becoming the second-least expected (onswing) Labour MP in the landslide of that year[citation needed] and since 2001 setting a pattern that suggests the seat is a two-way Labour-Conservativemarginal.
Foster held the seat, again with slim majorities over Conservatives, in 2001 and 2005, but lost it toConservativeAmber Rudd in 2010. Rudd was re-elected with an increased majority in 2015, but in the2017 general election, theGreen Party declined to contest the seat and instead called on its supporters to back theLabour candidate.[3] Rudd held the seat with a slim majority of 346, making it the 24th-closest nationally (of 650 seats).[4] From 2010 until 2019, Rudd served asSecretary of State for Energy and Climate Change,Minister for Women and Equalities,Secretary of State for the Home Department andSecretary of State for Work and Pensions under the governments ofDavid Cameron,Theresa May andBoris Johnson.
After losing the Conservativewhip, Rudd did not stand at the2019 general election, which was won for the Conservatives bySally-Ann Hart. In2024,Helena Dollimore recaptured the seat for Labour with a majority of 18.8%.
1983–2010: The Borough of Hastings, and the District of Rother wards of Camber, Fairlight, Guestling and Pett, Rye, and Winchelsea.
2010–2024: The Borough of Hastings, and the District of Rother wards of Brede Valley, Eastern Rother, Marsham, and Rye.
2024–present: The Borough of Hastings, and the District of Rother wards of Eastern Rother, Rye & Winchelsea, and Southern Rother.[5]
Hastings prior to 1983
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour Co-op | Helena Dollimore | 19,134 | 41.6 | −0.8 | |
| Conservative | Sally-Ann Hart | 10,481 | 22.8 | −26.3 | |
| Reform | Lucian Fernando | 7,401 | 16.1 | N/A | |
| Green | Becca Horn | 5,761 | 12.5 | +12.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Guy Harris | 2,586 | 5.6 | −1.8 | |
| Workers Party | Philip Colle | 362 | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Communist | Nicholas Davies | 136 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Independent | Paul Crosland | 129 | 0.3 | −0.8 | |
| Majority | 8,653 | 18.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 45,990 | 60.6 | −8.9 | ||
| Registered electors | 75,939 | ||||
| Labour Co-opgain fromConservative | Swing | ||||
| 2019notional result[8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 25,804 | 49.1 | |
| Labour | 22,272 | 42.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 3,892 | 7.4 | |
| Others | 565 | 1.1 | |
| Green | 33 | 0.1 | |
| Turnout | 52,566 | 69.5 | |
| Electorate | 75,581 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Sally-Ann Hart | 26,896 | 49.6 | +2.7 | |
| Labour | Peter Chowney | 22,853 | 42.1 | −4.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Perry | 3,960 | 7.3 | +3.9 | |
| Independent | Paul Crosland | 565 | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 4,043 | 7.5 | +6.8 | ||
| Turnout | 54,274 | 67.4 | −4.2 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +3.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Amber Rudd | 25,668 | 46.9 | +2.4 | |
| Labour | Peter Chowney | 25,322 | 46.2 | +11.1 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Perry | 1,885 | 3.4 | +0.2 | |
| UKIP | Michael Phillips | 1,479 | 2.7 | −10.6 | |
| Independent | Nicholas Wilson | 412 | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 346 | 0.7 | −8.7 | ||
| Turnout | 54,766 | 71.6 | +3.6 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | -4.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Amber Rudd | 22,686 | 44.5 | +3.4 | |
| Labour | Sarah Owen | 17,890 | 35.1 | −2.0 | |
| UKIP | Andrew Michael | 6,786 | 13.3 | +10.5 | |
| Green | Jake Bowers | 1,951 | 3.8 | +3.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Perry | 1,614 | 3.2 | −12.5 | |
| Majority | 4,796 | 9.4 | +5.4 | ||
| Turnout | 50,927 | 68.0 | +4.1 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | +2.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Amber Rudd | 20,468 | 41.1 | +3.0 | |
| Labour | Michael Foster | 18,475 | 37.1 | −3.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Nick Perry | 7,825 | 15.7 | +0.6 | |
| UKIP | Anthony Smith | 1,397 | 2.8 | +0.1 | |
| BNP | Nick Prince | 1,310 | 2.6 | +2.6 | |
| English Democrat | Rod Bridger | 339 | 0.7 | +0.7 | |
| Majority | 1,993 | 4.0 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 49,814 | 63.9 | +4.9 | ||
| Conservativegain fromLabour | Swing | +3.3 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Michael Foster | 18,107 | 42.1 | −5.0 | |
| Conservative | Mark Coote | 16,081 | 37.4 | +0.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Stevens | 6,479 | 15.1 | +4.8 | |
| UKIP | Terry Grant | 1,098 | 2.6 | +0.4 | |
| Green | Sally Phillips | 1,032 | 2.4 | +0.7 | |
| Monster Raving Loony | Viscount Clarkey of Rochdale Canal Ord-Clarke | 207 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 2,026 | 4.7 | −5.8 | ||
| Turnout | 43,004 | 59.1 | +0.7 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | -2.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Michael Foster | 19,402 | 47.1 | +12.7 | |
| Conservative | Mark Coote | 15,094 | 36.6 | +7.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Graem Peters | 4,266 | 10.3 | −17.7 | |
| UKIP | Alan Coomber | 911 | 2.2 | +1.2 | |
| Green | Sally Phillips | 721 | 1.7 | N/A | |
| Independent | Gillian Bargery | 486 | 1.2 | N/A | |
| Monster Raving Loony | John Ord-Clarke | 198 | 0.5 | +0.2 | |
| Rock 'n' Roll Loony | Brett McLean | 140 | 0.3 | N/A | |
| Majority | 4,308 | 10.5 | +5.3 | ||
| Turnout | 41,218 | 58.4 | −11.3 | ||
| Labourhold | Swing | +2.6 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Michael Foster | 16,867 | 34.4 | +18.7 | |
| Conservative | Jacqui Lait | 14,307 | 29.2 | −18.4 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Monroe Palmer | 13,717 | 28.0 | −7.2 | |
| Referendum | Christopher J.M. McGovern | 2,511 | 5.1 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Jane M.E. Amstad | 1,046 | 2.1 | N/A | |
| UKIP | W.N. Andrews | 472 | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Monster Raving Loony | Derek Tiverton | 149 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 2,560 | 5.2 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 49,069 | 69.7 | −5.2 | ||
| Labourgain fromConservative | Swing | +18.5 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Jacqui Lait | 25,573 | 47.6 | −2.5 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Monroe Palmer | 18,939 | 35.2 | −0.8 | |
| Labour | Richard D. Stevens | 8,458 | 15.7 | +2.6 | |
| Green | Sally Philips | 640 | 1.2 | N/A | |
| Monster Raving Loony | Lord of Howell Derek Tiverton | 168 | 0.3 | −0.1 | |
| Majority | 6,634 | 12.4 | −1.7 | ||
| Turnout | 53,778 | 74.9 | +3.1 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | −0.9 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 26,163 | 50.1 | −3.2 | |
| Liberal | David Amies | 18,816 | 36.0 | +5.5 | |
| Labour | Joy Hurcombe | 6,825 | 13.1 | −2.1 | |
| Monster Raving Loony | Lord of Howell Derek Tiverton | 242 | 0.4 | N/A | |
| Independent | Stanley Davies | 194 | 0.4 | N/A | |
| Majority | 7,347 | 14.1 | −12.7 | ||
| Turnout | 52,240 | 71.8 | +2.9 | ||
| Conservativehold | Swing | −4.4 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Kenneth Warren | 25,626 | 53.3 | N/A | |
| Liberal | David Amies | 14,646 | 30.5 | N/A | |
| Labour | Nigel Knowles | 7,304 | 15.2 | N/A | |
| Independent | G.L. McNally | 503 | 1.0 | N/A | |
| Majority | 10,980 | 22.8 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 48,079 | 68.9 | N/A | ||
| Conservativewin (new seat) | |||||