Helena Dollimore is the new MP for Hastings and Rye. The Labour candidate received 19,134 votes - a majority of 8.653 and almost twice as many votes as the Conservative candidate and former MP Sally-Ann Hart.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service after the results were announced Helena Dollimore said: “It is the privilege of my life to be elected as the Labour member of parliament for Hastings and Rye. People have voted resoundingly here in Hastings and Rye, and up and down the country, for change with Labour. Now the work begins to focus on their priorities and getting this country back on its feet."
The MP spent the morning of election day canvassing for votes in Rye. “We have been out knocking on doors in this campaign, and for many years before that, and we have heard from people how much they are crying out for change.”
Referencing flooding that has plagued the area, the cost of living crisis, the NHS, housing, making streets safe and ‘giving every child in Hastings and Rye the best start in life’, she added: “That is what a Labour government and me as our Labour MP are going to get to work on."
The result was declared as expected at 4.45 am on Friday July 5 after ballots from across the constituency were counted at Horntye Park in Hastings. The turnout was 61%, down 8.9% on the 2019 election.
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In the neighbouring Bexhill and Battle constituency, which covers many villages to the rest of Rye, it was a much closer race. The Conservatives held on to the seat, but with a reduced majority. Kieran Mullan won with 16,186 votes (33.90%), while Labour's Christine Bayliss took 13,529 votes (28.33%).
In Hastings and Rye a Labour win was never really in doubt, as these constituency projections based on MRP polling data over the course of the election show.
Election day in Rye also saw many people sharing their #dogsatpollingstations pictures.
