General election 2024 in Sussex: five new MPs guaranteed

After months of speculation, the date for the general election is now set for Thursday, July 4, and five Sussex constituencies are to have new representatives at Parliament.

More than a year ago, in March, 2023, Conservative Henry Smith announced he would not be seeking re-election at the next general election.

In a statement, Mr Smith said: “After a generation of being an elected representative in Crawley – from 1997 as a county councillor, from 2003 as leader of West Sussex and from 2010 as Member of Parliament – it is time for a new generation, I will not be seeking re-election as Crawley’s MP.

“It has been a great honour to represent the constituency in Parliament and I am deeply grateful for the support of Crawley Conservative Association and local people for electing me to an unprecedented four terms in office.”

In June, 2023, former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas said she would not stand for re-election in Brighton Pavilion. She had represented the constituency since the 2010 general election.

She wrote: “The particular responsibilities of being the Green Party’s sole MP, coupled with my commitment to doing the very best for my constituents, has impacted on my ability to focus as much as I would like on the existential challenges that drive me – the Nature and Climate emergencies. And as these threats to our precious planet become ever more urgent, I now want to concentrate more fully on these accelerating crises. I have therefore decided not to stand again as an MP at the next election.”

In November, Conservative Nick Gibb said he would not be standing again and it had been ‘a privilege’ to represent the people of Bognor Regis & Littlehampton for more than two decades.

Mr Gibb also stepped down from his role as schools minister, and added he had ‘always sought to represent’ everyone, ‘regardless of whether they voted for me or support me’. He said: “I’ve tried my best to help people with their particular issues and problems.”

In April, fellow Tory Tim Loughton, who had represented East Worthing & Shoreham since 1997, announced he, too, would not be standing for re-election.

The former children’s minister said it had been ‘a great honour’, adding: “After much reflection I have decided that now is the right time for me to move on and hand over to someone new.

In a letter – dated April 13 and published on social media – to Kevin Skepper, chairman of the East Worthing & Shoreham Conservative Association, Mr Loughton wrote: “After much reflection I have decided that now is the right time for me to move on and hand over to someone new. As former Cabinet Minister John Biffen appropriately put it, ‘in politics I think it is wiser to leave five minutes too soon than to continue for five years too long’.”

Another Conservative, Huw Merriman, announced on Thursday, May 23, that he would also not be standing as a candidate in July’s general election.

Mr Merriman, who was first elected to Bexhill & Battle in 2015, said: “I have loved being an MP and I leave with a heavy heart. The constituency is a beautiful place, with wonderful people in every town and village. I’ve been lucky enough to work across the community, and political divide, with some fantastic people. I’ve also been fortunate to have had the best constituency staff, and Association, an MP could ask for.

“I wish my successor well in their role as Member of Parliament. To both the next MP for Bexhill and Battle and to a future Rail Minister: if these roles bring even half the amount of happiness as they have brought me, then it will make you very proud.

“Thank you to all of the amazing people I have met on my journey. I will miss everything but, as I sit in the political departure lounge, I am looking forward to a new journey (whatever that might be).”