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Mid Sussex (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 50°58′N 0°10′W / 50.96°N 0.17°W / 50.96; -0.17
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This article is about the parliamentary constituency. For other uses, see Mid Sussex.

Mid Sussex
County constituency
for the House of Commons
Map
Boundaries since 2024
Map of constituency
Boundary of Mid Sussex in South East England
CountyWest Sussex
Electorate72,255 (2023)[1]
Major settlements
Current constituency
Created1974 (1974)
Member of ParliamentAlison Bennett (Liberal Democrats)
SeatsOne
Created fromEast Grinstead and Lewes

Mid Sussex is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2024 by Alison Bennett, a Liberal Democrat.[2][n 2]

Constituency profile

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The constituency is centred around the towns of Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill and takes in the southern half of the local government district of the same name. Located on the West Sussex side of the border with East Sussex, the constituency is well served by transport links, with rail connections to Brighton, Gatwick Airport, London and the Sussex coast, and the M23/A23 running through the west of the constituency. The south of the constituency lies within the South Downs National Park.

Income levels are on average considerably higher than the national average[3] and levels of rented[4] and social housing[3] are below the national average, particularly levels seen in cities.

Boundaries

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Map
Map of 2010–2024 boundaries

Historic

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1974–1983: The Urban Districts of Burgess Hill and Cuckfield, and the Rural District of Cuckfield.

1983–1997: The District of Mid Sussex wards of Ardingly, Bolney, Burgess Hill Chanctonbury, Burgess Hill Franklands, Burgess Hill North, Burgess Hill St Andrews, Burgess Hill Town, Burgess Hill West, Clayton, Cuckfield, East Grinstead East, East Grinstead North, East Grinstead South, East Grinstead West, Haywards Heath Ashenground, Haywards Heath Bentswood, Haywards Heath Franklands, Haywards Heath Harlands, Haywards Heath Heath, Horsted Keynes, Hurstpierpoint, Keymer, Lindfield Rural, Lindfield Urban, and West Hoathly.

1997–2010: The District of Mid Sussex wards of Ardingly, Burgess Hill Chanctonbury, Burgess Hill Franklands, Burgess Hill North, Burgess Hill St Andrews, Burgess Hill Town, Burgess Hill West, Cuckfield, East Grinstead East, East Grinstead North, East Grinstead South, East Grinstead West, Haywards Heath Ashenground, Haywards Heath Bentswood, Haywards Heath Franklands, Haywards Heath Harlands, Haywards Heath Heath, Horsted Keynes, Lindfield Rural, Lindfield Urban, and West Hoathly.

2010–2024: The District of Mid Sussex wards of Ashurst Wood, Bolney, Burgess Hill Dunstall, Burgess Hill Franklands, Burgess Hill Leylands, Burgess Hill Meeds, Burgess Hill St Andrews, Burgess Hill Victoria, Cuckfield, East Grinstead Ashplats, East Grinstead Baldwins, East Grinstead Herontye, East Grinstead Imberhorne, East Grinstead Town, Haywards Heath Ashenground, Haywards Heath Bentswood, Haywards Heath Franklands, Haywards Heath Heath, Haywards Heath Lucastes, High Weald, and Lindfield.

Current

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Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which became effective for the 2024 general election, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following as they existed on 1 December 2020:

  • The District of Mid Sussex wards of: Bolney; Burgess Hill Dunstall; Burgess Hill Franklands; Burgess Hill Leylands; Burgess Hill Meeds; Burgess Hill St. Andrews; Burgess Hill Victoria; Cuckfield; Hassocks; Haywards Heath Ashenground; Haywards Heath Bentswood; Haywards Heath Franklands; Haywards Heath Heath; Haywards Heath Lucastes; Hurstpierpoint and Downs; Lindfield.[5]

Following a local government boundary review which came into effect in May 2023[6][7], the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election:

  • The District of Mid Sussex wards of Ardingly, Balcombe & Turners Hill (small part); Burgess Hill Dunstall; Burgess Hill Franklands; Burgess Hill Leylands; Burgess Hill Meeds & Hammonds; Burgess Hill St Andrews; Burgess Hill Victoria; Cuckfield, Bolney & Ansty; Downland Villages; Hassocks; Haywards Heath Ashenground; Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath; Haywards Heath Franklands; Haywards Heath Lucastes & Bolnore; Haywards Heath North; Hurstpierpoint; Lindfield; Lindfield Rural & High Weald (small part).[8]

The electorate was reduced to bring it within the permitted range by transferring northern parts, including the town of East Grinstead to the newly created constituency of East Grinstead and Uckfield. This was partly offset by adding the villages of Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint from Arundel and South Downs.

History

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The constituency was created in 1974 from parts of the seats of Lewes and East Grinstead, and has undergone significant boundary changes at every periodical review that it has been around for. Prior to 1973, the local government district had actually been a part of East Sussex, but as a result of delayed implementation of the Local Government Act 1972, it was almost wholly moved into West Sussex.

At the 1983 general election, it gained some of the wards (including East Grinstead itself) previously contained in the East Grinstead constituency (which disappeared at that election, its last MP Geoffrey Johnson Smith contested and won the new seat of Wealden in East Sussex), and at the 1997 election, it gained many of the semi-rural wards with smaller communities between East Grinstead and Crawley. For the 2024 election, the seat lost East Grinstead again – to the new seat of East Grinstead and Uckfield.

From its creation in 1974 until 2024, it was a Conservative seat. It's first MP was Tim Renton, who held the seat until 1997. He was succeeded by Nicholas Soames (a grandson of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill), who had been MP for the neighbouring seat of Crawley from 1983 to 1997.

In the 2016 European Union referendum, Mid Sussex voted for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the European Union. Despite this, Soames called for MPs to back Theresa May's withdrawal agreement. However, he was one of the 21 Conservative rebels who voted to allow Parliament to vote to legislate to prevent a no deal Brexit on 3 September 2019, and subsequently became an independent, after the rebels had the Conservative whip removed. He then decided not to stand for re-election although he had the whip restored before dissolution.[9]

Soames was succeeded by Mims Davies, who had been MP for Eastleigh in Hampshire from 2015 to 2019. Following boundary changes for the 2024 general election, Davies stood down and decided to stand (successfully) for the notionally safer new seat of East Grinstead and Uckfield.

The primary opposition to the Conservatives until the 2015 election had been the Liberal Democrats and their predecessors the Liberal Party. In 2015, there was a severe fall in Liberal Democrats support. Labour's candidate come second in the seat for the first time in its history. In 2017, Labour consolidated this lead at the 2017 general election by gaining almost double the votes of the Liberal Democrats. The Liberal Democrats regained a clear second place in the 2019 general election, and won the seat in 2024 following boundary changes, with Alison Bennett being elected as the new MP.

Members of Parliament

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East Grinstead and Lewes prior to 1974

Election Member[10] Party
Feb 1974 Tim Renton Conservative
1997 Sir Nicholas Soames Conservative
2019 Independent
Conservative
2019 Mims Davies Conservative
2024 Alison Bennett Liberal Democrats

Elections

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Elections in the 2020s

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General election 2024: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alison Bennett[11] 21,136 39.6 +14.1
Conservative Kristy Adams[12] 14,474 27.1 −24.2
Labour Dave Rowntree[13] 9,397 17.6 −0.4
Reform UK Gary Johnson[14] 5,921 11.1 N/A
Green Deanna Nicholson[14] 2,048 3.8 −0.3
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap[15] 352 0.7 −0.3
Majority 6,662 12.5 N/A
Turnout 53,328 70.2 −3.1
Registered electors 75,969
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +19.2

Elections in the 2010s

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2019 notional result[16]
Party Vote %
Conservative 27,154 51.3
Liberal Democrats 13,489 25.5
Labour 9,530 18.0
Green 2,179 4.1
Others 597 1.1
Turnout 52,949 73.3
Electorate 72,255
General election 2019: Mid Sussex[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mims Davies 33,455 53.3 −3.6
Liberal Democrats Robert Eggleston 15,258 24.3 +11.6
Labour Gemma Bolton 11,218 17.9 −7.1
Green Deanna Nicholson 2,234 3.6 +1.1
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap 550 0.9 +0.1
Advance Brett Mortensen 47 0.1 N/A
Majority 18,197 29.0 −2.9
Turnout 62,762 73.7 +0.9
Conservative hold Swing −7.6
  • Davies had served as Member of Parliament for Eastleigh from 2015 until the 2019 election was called.
General election 2017: Mid Sussex[18][19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 35,082 56.9 +0.8
Labour Greg Mountain 15,409 25.0 +11.1
Liberal Democrats Sarah Osborne 7,855 12.7 +1.2
Green Chris Jerrey 1,571 2.5 −1.8
UKIP Toby Brothers 1,251 2.0 −10.0
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap 464 0.8 +0.2
Majority 19,673 31.9 −10.3
Turnout 61,632 72.8 +0.5
Conservative hold Swing −5.15
General election 2015: Mid Sussex[20][21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 32,268 56.1 +5.4
Labour Greg Mountain 7,982 13.9 +7.3
UKIP Toby Brothers 6,898 12.0 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Daisy Cooper[22] 6,604 11.5 −26.0
Green Miranda Diboll[23] 2,453 4.3 +3.1
Independent Beki Adam[24] 958 1.7 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap 329 0.6 +0.1
Majority 24,286 42.2 +29.0
Turnout 57,492 72.3 −0.1
Conservative hold Swing −0.95
General election 2010: Mid Sussex[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 28,329 50.7 +2.5
Liberal Democrats Serena Tierney 20,927 37.5 +1.8
Labour David Boot 3,689 6.6 –6.2
UKIP Marc Montgomery 1,423 2.5 –0.7
Green Paul Brown 645 1.2 N/A
BNP Stuart Minihane 583 1.0 N/A
Monster Raving Loony Baron von Thunderclap 259 0.5 N/A
Majority 7,402 13.2 +0.7
Turnout 55,855 72.4 +0.35
Conservative hold Swing +1.3

Elections in the 2000s

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General election 2005: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 23,765 48.0 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Serena Tierney 17,875 36.1 +5.0
Labour Robert Fromant 6,280 12.7 −6.3
UKIP Harold Piggott 1,574 3.2 +0.7
Majority 5,890 11.9 −3.2
Turnout 49,494 68.6 +3.7
Conservative hold Swing −1.6
General election 2001: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 21,150 46.2 +2.7
Liberal Democrats Lesley Wilkins 14,252 31.1 +0.5
Labour Paul Mitchell 8,693 19.0 +0.4
UKIP Petrina Holdsworth 1,126 2.5 +1.4
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap Berry 601 1.3 N/A
Majority 6,898 15.1 +2.2
Turnout 45,822 64.9 −12.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1990s

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General election 1997: Mid Sussex[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nicholas Soames 23,231 43.5 −15.5
Liberal Democrats Margaret Collins 16,377 30.6 +2.4
Labour Mervyn Hamilton 9,969 18.6 +8.0
Referendum Tam Large 3,146 5.9 N/A
UKIP J.V. Barnett 606 1.1 N/A
Justice and Renewal Independent Party Ernest Tudway 134 0.3 N/A
Majority 6,854 12.9 −17.9
Turnout 53,463 77.6
Conservative hold Swing

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: Mid Sussex[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 39,524 59.0 −2.1
Liberal Democrats Margaret Collins 18,996 28.4 −3.1
Labour L C Gregory 6,951 10.4 +3.0
Green H G Stevens 772 1.1 N/A
Monster Raving Loony P B Berry 392 0.6 N/A
Independent P D Hodkin 246 0.4 N/A
Natural Law A M A Hankey 89 0.1 N/A
Majority 20,528 30.6 +1.0
Turnout 66,970 82.9 +5.7
Conservative hold Swing

Elections in the 1980s

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General election 1987: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 37,781 61.1 −0.3
Liberal Nicholas Westbrook 19,489 31.5 −0.8
Labour Robert Hughes 4,573 7.4 +1.4
Majority 18,292 29.6 +0.5
Turnout 61,843 77.2 +2.5
Conservative hold Swing
General election 1983: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 35,310 61.4
Liberal Jack Campbell 18,566 32.3
Labour Patricia Hawkes 3,470 6.0
Independent J Bray 196 0.3
Majority 16,744 29.1
Turnout 57,542 74.7
Conservative hold Swing

This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1979 and 1983 general elections and thus calculation of the change in share of vote is not possible.

Elections in the 1970s

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General election 1979: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 32,548 61.2 +7.3
Liberal Jack Campbell 11,705 22.0 −6.1
Labour Des Turner 8,260 15.5 −2.5
Ind. Conservative S M H Haslett 697 1.3 N/A
Majority 20,843 39.2 +13.4
Turnout 53,210 78.0 +1.6
Conservative hold Swing
General election October 1974: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 25,126 53.9 −0.2
Liberal Bob Symes 13,129 28.1 −1.9
Labour M R Fraser 8,404 18.0 +2.2
Majority 11,997 25.8 +1.7
Turnout 46,659 76.4 −6.9
Conservative hold Swing
General election February 1974: Mid Sussex
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Renton 27,317 54.1
Liberal Bob Symes 15,162 30.0
Labour M R Fraser 7,993 15.8
Majority 12,155 24.1
Turnout 50,472 83.3
Conservative win (new seat)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ A county constituency (for the 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

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  1. ^ "The 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries in England – Volume two: Constituency names, designations and composition – South East". Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Sussex Mid Parliamentary constituency". BBC.
  3. ^ a b "Local statistics – Office for National Statistics". ons.gov.uk.
  4. ^ "2011 census interactive maps". Archived from the original on 29 January 2016.
  5. ^ "The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
  6. ^ LGBCE. "Mid Sussex | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  7. ^ "The Mid Sussex (Electoral Changes) Order 2022".
  8. ^ "New Seat Details - Mid Sussex". www.electoralcalculus.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  9. ^ Tan, Rebecca (4 September 2019). "Winston Churchill's grandson to be expelled from Tory Party for voting against Boris Johnson". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022.
  10. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 6)
  11. ^ "Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates". Mark Pack. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Mid Sussex Conservatives select parliamentary candidate for next general election". Sussex Express. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  13. ^ Badshah, Nadeem (6 March 2024). "Blur drummer Dave Rowntree selected as Labour candidate for general election". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Blur drummer new Labour candidate for Mid Sussex". BBC News. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Mid Sussex". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Notional results for a UK general election on 12 December 2019". Rallings & Thrasher, Professor David Denver (Scotland), Nicholas Whyte (NI) for Sky News, PA, BBC News and ITV News. UK Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Sussex Mid Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  18. ^ "Loony Party Candidates". Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  19. ^ "Sussex Mid". Election 2017. BBC. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  21. ^ "Sussex Mid parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC.
  22. ^ "Daisy Cooper PPC page". Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  23. ^ "Mid Sussex and Crawley Green Party | Local party elects Prospective Parliamentary Candidates for Horsham and Mid Sussex". Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  24. ^ "Mid Sussex". YourNextMP. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  25. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  26. ^ "'Sussex Mid', May 1997 -". ElectionWeb Project. Cognitive Computing Limited. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  27. ^ "Politics Resources". Election 1992. Politics Resources. 9 April 1992. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2010.

Sources

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50°58′N 0°10′W / 50.96°N 0.17°W / 50.96; -0.17

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