Brighton Kemptown
Notional 2005 Results:
Labour: 14080 (38.2%)
Conservative: 12867 (34.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 6245 (16.9%)
Green: 2440 (6.6%)
Other: 1274 (3.5%)
Majority: 1213 (3.3%)
Actual 2005 result
Conservative: 13121 (33%)
Labour: 15858 (39.9%)
Liberal Democrat: 6560 (16.5%)
Green: 2800 (7%)
UKIP: 758 (1.9%)
Other: 622 (1.6%)
Majority: 2737 (6.9%)
2001 Result
Conservative: 13823 (35.3%)
Labour: 18745 (47.8%)
Liberal Democrat: 4064 (10.4%)
UKIP: 543 (1.4%)
Green: 1290 (3.3%)
Other: 738 (1.9%)
Majority: 4922 (12.6%)
1997 Result
Conservative: 17945 (38.9%)
Labour: 21479 (46.6%)
Liberal Democrat: 4478 (9.7%)
Referendum: 1526 (3.3%)
Other: 704 (1.5%)
Majority: 3534 (7.7%)
Boundary changes:
Profile: Brighton Kemptown is the eastern part of Brighton and the semi-rural suburbs and villages stretching out to the east of the seat. At its western end it includes Queen`s Park ward, the centre of Brighton`s vibrant gay community, then Kemptown, the council estates of Whitehawk and Moulscoomb and then, beyond the racecourse, more affluent and genteel coastal villages like Woodingdean, Saltdean and the town of Peacehaven. At the north of the seat is Brighton University`s Falmer campus – despite Moulscoomb itself being in the constituency, Moulscoomb campus lies just over the boundary in Brighton Pavilion.
In the past Kemptown was the more Labour leaning of the two Brighton seats, but it is now the more marginal. There is also a strong Green presence here – although not when compared to their strength in Brighton Pavilon.
Outgoing MP: Desmond Turner(Labour) born 1939, Southampton. Educated Luton Grammar and Imperial College. University lecturer. East Sussex county councillor 1985-1997. Brighton councillor 1994-1997. First elected as MP for Brighton Kemptown in 1997. He will retire at the next general election (more information at They work for you)
Candidates: 
Simon Kirby (Conservative) local entrepreneur and one time owner of a chain of pubs, clubs and restaurants in Brighton. Set up the local Brighton radio station and was involved in the campaign for City status. East Sussex County councillor and former Brighton and Brighton and Hove councillor, former leader of the Conservative group on Brighton council.Simon Burgess (Labour) Vice-Chairman of Labour`s National Policy Forum. Brighton councillor until 2007. Former leader of Brighton and Hove council 2006-2007.Juliet Williams (Liberal Democrat) Ben Duncan (Green) Brighton and Hove councillor. Press assistant to Caroline Lucas.James Chamberlain-Webber (UKIP)
Dave Hill (TUSC) Professor. Former Brighton councillor and East Sussex County councillor. Contested Brighton Pavilion 1979, 1987 for Labour. Contested South East region in 2009 European elections for No2EU.
2001 Census Demographics
Total 2001 Population: 84775
Male: 48.4%
Female: 51.6%
Under 18: 20.6%
Over 60: 23.8%
Born outside UK: 8.7%
White: 95.4%
Black: 0.7%
Asian: 1.5%
Mixed: 1.4%
Other: 1%
Christian: 65.2%
Jewish: 0.6%
Muslim: 1.1%
Full time students: 6%
Graduates 16-74: 20.4%
No Qualifications 16-74: 29.7%
Owner-Occupied: 62.1%
Social Housing: 21.1% (Council: 16.1%, Housing Ass.: 5%)
Privately Rented: 13.4%
Homes without central heating and/or private bathroom: 7.7%
Wikipedia says Peacehaven has only been part of Kemptown since 1997, so based on that criteria I presume it was in Pavilion from 1950 to 1997
Wasn’t Kemptown the most marginal seat in the country in 1964? (Labour’s Dennis Hobden gained it from the Conservatives with a majority of just 7)
And just out of interest, Wikipedia does refer to Peacehaven as ’semi-rural’
Steen – March 1st, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Given the Green Party’s progress in B&H, and especially with the national attention that will be on Pavilion, and people’s confusion about boundaries, I think this is going to be a rare case of a two way marginal where a party starting clearly in 4th will substantially increase its share of the vote. I can see the LD share getting squeezed here, but not the Green share.
No Harry it’s nowhere near Pavilion. It was in Lewes until 1997 & is still under the jurisdiction of Lewes District Council, as are Telscombe Cliffs & E. Saltdean.
but you were right about Dennis Hobden’s victory being the closest in that election. Dennis remained on Brighton Council until the 1990s.
And what is your view on the semi-ruralness of Peacehaven Barnaby?
My view is that it’s a nonsensical description. It’s nothing of the kind. It’s semis & bungalows, some of them Council-built, and not in the least bit rural in character.
Brighton Kempton had Tory majority of 3000 – 4000 in 1992, the 1997 revised constituency had a national Conservative majority of 10000+.
This was not just due to the addition of Peacehaven (part of Lewes DC) but the transfer of two Labour inclined wards to Brighton Pavilion.
This seat was created in 1950 when the former two-seat constituency of Brighton was split between two new single-member seats (Kemptown and Pavilion). Kemptown underwent boundary changes in 1955 and 1983, although not in 1974. Labour gained the seat with a majority of just 7 in 1964 (making it, as stated upthread, the most marginal seat in the country at the time), and increased its majority in 1966, but lost the seat in 1970 and did not gain it again until 1997. Dennis Hobden, the victor in 1964, was not only the constituency’s first Labour MP but also the first Labour MP to be elected in Sussex. Hobden’s defeat in 1970 marked the start of an absence of Labour MPs in Sussex which would continue for 27 years until 1997.
As stated above, the 1997 boundary changes moved Peacehaven into the seat. This was thought to favour the Conservatives, but instead Labour gained the seat in their landslide victory, and have held on since.
well it wasn’t just thought to favour the Conservatives – it clearly did so. That Labour gained the seat in 1997 was inspite of the boundary changes and that the Tories remain competitive and likely to gain the seat at the next election is because of them.
The changes you describe in 1950 are a little more complex than you say. Three seats emerged from the reorganisation in the Brighton area as Hove was created that year two. However not all of the area of Brighton & Hove was included in the former 2-member Brighton seat. Basically Portslade, Hangleton (Hove), Patcham, Withdean and Hollingdean (Pavilion), Moulsecombe, Rottingdean and Woodingdean were all in the Lewes seat until then. The Brighton seat covered just the inner-parts of Brighton and Hove. If the same boundaries were in play now I guess the Greens could be looking to win two seats in Brighton.
“As stated above, the 1997 boundary changes moved Peacehaven into the seat. This was thought to favour the Conservatives, but instead Labour gained the seat in their landslide victory, and have held on since.”
The boundary changes in 1997 increased Kempton from a Tory majority of under 4000 to over 10000.
Had it not been for the boundary changes Labour would have won by around 10000 in 1997, and would still be confident of retaining the seat now.
I wondered what would have happened with the Greens if the pre-1997 boundaries remained.
I suspect their vote would be divided between the two Brighton seats and neither of which would be as good a prospect as the current Pavilion.
Actually Harry only one ward was moved from Kemptown to Pavilion in 1997, Hanover.
‘not all of the area of Brighton & Hove was included in the former 2-member Brighton seat. Basically Portslade, Hangleton (Hove), Patcham, Withdean and Hollingdean (Pavilion), Moulsecombe, Rottingdean and Woodingdean were all in the Lewes seat until then’
Silly me, I’d forgotten about the Hove seat! Peacehaven was in Lewes until 1997 (not sure from which year though), as I believe I have stated elsewhere
Are there any records of the voting patterns in two member constituencies? Did the voters have two votes?
Yes they did, and in the dusty shelves of the Harris Library in Preston, there’s a couple of books showing exactly how people voted