Labour Holds Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven Seat

Labour triumphed in the Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven parliamentary seat previously held by Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle.

The constituency’s new MP Chris Ward has a majority of 9,663 votes, more than the majority of 8,061 won by Mr Russell-Moyle in December 2019.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Ward recalled playing cricket in Portslade Sports Centre and hockey football on the astroturf when he was a boy.

Mr Ward said:

“If you’d said to me then I would be standing here as a Member of Parliament for the city I love and the party I love I would never have believed you.

“It’s a huge honour and a huge responsibility to have the opportunity to serve this constituency. It’s a tremendous moment and one I will do my utmost to deliver, whether you voted for me or not.”

The turnout yesterday (Thursday 4 July) was 41,243 or – 59.96 per cent of the electorate.

There were 557 spoiled papers, with many writing in either Mr Russell-Moyle’s name or Reform UK.

Mr Russell-Moyle was de-selected after a complaint was made against him, which he denies, and he is now under investigation by the Labour Party.

The results are as follows:
Khobi Vallis (Conservative) 8,230
Elaine Hills (Green) 7,997
Emma Wall (Independent) 1,833
Stewart Stone (Liberal Democrat) 3,939
Chris Ward (Labour) 17,893
Valerie Gray (SDP) 784

In December 2019 the turnout was 48,676 – or 69.7 per cent.

The results five years ago were as follows.

Graham Cushway (Brexit Party) 1,327
Joe Miller (Conservative) 16,972
Alexandra Phillips (Green) 2,237
Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour) 25,033
Ben Thomas (Liberal Democrat) 2,964