Voters in the constituency of Bexhill and Battle returned sitting MP Huw Merriman with an increased majority. The swing was 7.2%. The local UKIP vote collapsed, as with the rest of the country, whilst the Labour candidate increased her percentage vote by 10.6%.—Bay Life, 9 June 2017
In what was one of the most dramatic nights in recent General Election history, the result in the constituency did not demonstrate any radical change, leaving Huw Merriman to continue his work. He is widely regarded as being a hard working and diligent MP. He has worked on a number of local issues, including public support for the return of the local library.
Nationally, the picture has shown dramatic swings all night, leaving Prime Minister Theresa May beleaguered. We have a hung Parliament. What will happen now?
Will she survive as Prime Minister? We appear to have a caretaker Prime Minister without any authority.
What will be her authority with Brexit discussions now?
Will we be seeing another election?. Nobody knows.
It would appear this morning that the Conservative Party is in serious trouble, dependent on the DUP in a hung Parliament. Ironically the Conservative Party is in some kind of coalition of chaos, a phrase they threw at the Labour Party.
In Hastings, Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who appeared ready to step into the shoes of Theresa May, only won in Hastings by the narrowest of margins of 346 votes, after two recounts.
Having called the election to consolidate her position and the position of the Conservative Party, the election has produced the opposite result for Theresa May.
Her future as Prime Minister is now in doubt. How long is her shelf life as Prime Minister? Hours, weeks, months? How will the Conservative Party work with a hung Parliament? The Brexit discussions, in theory are due to begin in about ten days.
We have got a government this morning, but not necessarily a long term government. The position seems a little like a Morecombe and Wise sketch, with a walk on part ready for Andre Previn.. Theresa is playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order.
Theresa May is going to the Palace this morning to ask the Queen if she can form a Government, but her diary for the rest of the day would appear to be somewhat open to change.
The bizarre point about this most dramatic and unpredictable of General Elections is that the Labour Party has lost the election, but given the circumstances this morning this is not how the night is being seen across the country.
Meanwhile in Bexhill and Battle it is Conservative business as usual this morning.
Results: Bexhill and Battle, General Election 2017
vote number, percentage, swing
Conservative Huw Merriman 36,854 62.0 +7.2
Labour Christine Bayliss 14,689 24.7 +10.6
Liberal Democrat Joel Kemp 4,485 7.5 0.1
UKIP Geoffrey Bastin 2,006 3.4 15.0
Green Jonathan Kent 1,438 2.4 -2.7
Majority 22,165
Turnout 73.3 +3.2
Conservative hold Swing +7.2
