Brighton and Hove to go to the polls in June

Prime Minister Theresa May announced today (April 18) that a snap general election will take place on Thursday, June 8.

The city’s three constituencies are held by MPs of three different parties, but that could all change after the vote in June.

At the moment, Caroline Lucas, Green, holds Brighton Pavilion; Peter Kyle, Labour holds Hove; and Simon Kirby, Conservative holds Brighton Kemptown.

The three parties in the city are set to mobilise to campaign for their MPs, alongside campaigners and candidates from other parties such as the Liberal Democrats and UKIP.

In the 2015 election, the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas held on to Brighton Pavilion with a 7,967 majority - 41.8 per cent of the vote. Labour took 27.3 per cent of the vote, with the Conservatives coming in third with 22.8 per cent. UKIP took five per cent of the vote and the Lib Dems took 2.8 per cent.

On the announcement of a snap general election, Ms Lucas said: “Britain is at a crossroads – and today’s announcement means that people are rightly given a say over the direction this country is going to take. Only the Green Party offers a bold, positive vision for a different kind of Britain. At this election we will stand for an economy that works for everyone, not just the privileged few; a Britain that’s open to the world and the protection of our precious environment. We will stand up to the politics of hatred and division that is scarring our communities and give people across the country a chance to vote for a better Britain.”

In 2015, Labour’s Peter Kyle took Hove from the Tories with a majority of 1,236. He received 42.3 per cent of the vote. In second was the Conservatives with 39.9 per cent of vote, the Green Party got a 6.8 per cent share, UKIP took 6.3 per cent and the Lib Dems 3.6 per cent.

And in Brighton Kemptown, Simon Kirby held onto his seat with a 40.7 per cent share of the vote and a 690-vote majority. Labour came in second with 39.2 per cent, UKIP were third with 9.8 per cent, Greens took seven per cent and the Lib Dems had three per cent of the vote.

Representatives for Peter Kyle and Simon Kirby have been approached for a comment.

Do you think the political landscape will change in Brighton and Hove following June’s general election? Let us know by commenting below.