May 2026 will long be remembered as a watershed moment in East Sussex politics. Reform UK’s Bexhill and Battle Branch delivered a stunning performance across all nine Rother divisions in the East Sussex County Council elections, winning seven seats and cementing the party’s position as the dominant political force in the area. After months of campaigning, listening to residents, and holding the old parties to account, the people of Rother sent an unmistakable message.
Count Day: A Long And Momentous Occasion
The Reform UK team assembled early on the morning of Friday 8th May for a team breakfast before heading into the count together – a fitting start to what would prove to be an extraordinary day.
The count was held at the De La Warr Pavilion, with the process conducted by Rother District Council staff on behalf of East Sussex County Council. Throughout the day, the professionalism and efficiency of the District Council count team was evident; they managed a complex, multi-division count with calm competence, and the whole process was a credit to the authority.
Verification of ballot papers continued through the morning, and it became clear from the outset that turnout across Rother had been exceptionally high, reflecting the intensity of public engagement in these elections.
After lunch, the formal count got underway. During the break, candidates and team members took the opportunity to step outside, their rosettes making clear who they were. The response from the public was remarkable – cars passing along the seafront tooted their horns, drivers and passengers giving thumbs up out of windows, with shouts of “I voted for you guys!” and “nice one!” directed at our team. It was a spontaneous and genuine show of public support that gave every one of our candidates a real lift heading into the afternoon.
The BBC and local news services were quick to seek out our candidates for comment during this period – a measure of the national interest in Reform UK’s performance in this part of East Sussex. Our candidates handled the media attention with composure and confidence, putting the case for common-sense representation across the county.
As the results came in one by one, it became increasingly clear that the political map of Rother was being redrawn.
The Results: Division By Division
Here is the full breakdown of every Rother division result:
Bexhill East
Martin Kenward delivered a commanding victory in Bexhill East, topping the poll by a margin of 663 votes. Reform finished first in what was a fragmented field with eight candidates, demonstrating a clear and decisive mandate from voters in this division.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Martin Kenward | Reform UK | 1,267 |
| Charles Clark | Independent | 604 |
| Tina Neale | Green Party | 502 |
| Simon Elford | Conservative | 441 |
| Gareth Delany | Labour | 379 |
| William Goddard | Liberal Democrats | 208 |
| Timothy Gordon | Independent | 128 |
| Jordan Beeney | Ind. Trade Union & Socialist | 23 |
Turnout: 41.59% (3,562 votes cast, electorate 8,565)
Bexhill North
Donald Walmsley took Bexhill North comfortably, finishing 192 votes ahead of the Rother Association of Independent Councillors candidate in second place.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Donald Walmsley | Reform UK | 1,056 |
| Abul Kalam Azad | Rother Assoc. of Independent Cllrs | 864 |
| Paul Peters | Conservative | 484 |
| James Stanger | Liberal Democrats | 410 |
| Christopher Glenn | Green Party | 267 |
| Mark Legg | Labour | 185 |
| Timothy Gordon | Independent | 128 |
| Sharon Blagrove | Independent | 152 |
Turnout: 40.95% (3,422 votes cast, electorate 8,356)
Bexhill South
Victoria Carson won Bexhill South by 355 votes.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Victoria Carson | Reform UK | 1,333 |
| Ian Hollidge | Conservative | 978 |
| Arren Rathbone Ariel | Green Party | 825 |
| Christine Bayliss | Labour | 704 |
| Mark Hobden | Liberal Democrats | 218 |
| Michelle Fairbrass | Independent | 199 |
Turnout: 43.76% (4,267 votes cast, electorate 9,751)
Bexhill West
Bexhill West returned the highest turnout of any Rother division at over 52%, reflecting the fiercely contested nature of this race. Peter Morley won convincingly with 1,647 votes – the highest vote tally of any Reform candidate across all divisions – defeating Independent Bexhill Town, and Rother District councillor, Connor Winter in second place.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Peter Morley | Reform UK | 1,647 |
| Connor Winter | Independent | 1,307 |
| Joseph Carter | Conservative | 1,047 |
| Timothy Fenner | Green Party | 388 |
| Rory Llewelyn | Liberal Democrats | 334 |
| Ruairi McCourt | Labour | 273 |
Turnout: 52.55% (5,002 votes cast, electorate 9,519)
Brede Valley and Marsham
Daniel Lach delivered an outstanding result in Brede Valley and Marsham, winning with 1,483 votes.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Daniel Lach | Reform UK | 1,483 |
| Carol Maynard | Conservative | 1,100 |
| Beverley Coupar | Liberal Democrats | 869 |
| Reece Honeywell | Green Party | 447 |
| Imogen Pollard | Labour | 242 |
Turnout: 50.56% (4,147 votes cast, electorate 8,110)
Battle and Crowhurst
Battle and Crowhurst was the one division where Reform UK faced the steepest hill to climb – and Austin Henderson’s performance here deserves to be understood in its full historical context.
The Liberal Democrats have held this seat without interruption since 1992, when Kathryn Field was first elected. She has held it for over 33 years, through every political era since John Major’s government. No Conservative, no Labour, no Independent candidate has been able to dislodge her in all that time. That is the fortress Austin Henderson walked into. And yet Austin secured 1,098 votes – a strong, credible second place.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Kathryn Field | Liberal Democrats | 1,736 |
| Austin Henderson | Reform UK | 1,098 |
| Pam Doodes | Conservative | 468 |
| Nicky Bishop | Green Party | 383 |
| Marcus Kent | Labour | 124 |
Turnout: 48.55% (3,823 votes cast, electorate 7,874)
Rother North West
Few moments in the count generated as much excitement as Rother North West. Mark Ashdown prevailed by just 27 votes over the Conservative candidate Eleanor Kirby-Green – one of the tightest results anywhere in East Sussex on the day.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Mark Ashdown | Reform UK | 1,196 |
| Eleanor Kirby-Green | Conservative | 1,169 |
| Mary Varrall | Liberal Democrats | 800 |
| Jonathan Kent | Green Party | 526 |
| Timothy Macpherson | Labour | 125 |
Turnout: 50.82% (3,824 votes cast, electorate 7,525)
Northern Rother
Northern Rother is the one result that will sting – and rightly so. Jonathan Jennings came agonisingly close, losing by just 54 votes to the Conservative Paul Redstone in a result that went to the wire. Jonathan polled an outstanding 1,162 votes in what proved to be a genuine two-horse race.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Paul Redstone | Conservative | 1,216 |
| Jonathan Jennings | Reform UK | 1,162 |
| Stephen Hardy | Liberal Democrats | 778 |
| Andrew Wedmore | Green Party | 408 |
| Jeanette Eason | Labour | 197 |
Turnout: 50.56% (3,769 votes cast, electorate 7,455)
Rye and Eastern Rother
Daniel Bradley rounded off a remarkable day for Reform UK with a convincing win in Rye and Eastern Rother. Bradley’s 1,186 votes placed him comfortably ahead in a diverse seven-candidate field.
| Candidate | Party | Votes |
| Daniel Bradley | Reform UK | 1,186 |
| Sally-Ann Hart | Conservative | 956 |
| Dominic Manning | Green Party | 800 |
| Amanda Pollard | Labour | 550 |
| Andrew Mier | Liberal Democrats | 311 |
| Jimmy Hyatt | Independent | 193 |
| Peter McLaren | Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition | 21 |
Turnout: 51.01% (4,031 votes cast, electorate 7,902)
A Mandate For Change
Seven wins from nine divisions. Thousands of votes cast for Reform UK candidates across Rother. The people of Rother have spoken with remarkable clarity.
Our newly elected county councillors – Martin Kenward, Donald Walmsley, Victoria Carson, Peter Morley, Daniel Lach, Mark Ashdown, and Daniel Bradley – will now get to work representing their divisions with the energy and honesty that this mandate demands. They carry with them the trust of thousands of residents who are done with the politics of managed decline.
In every media interview on Friday, our candidates were consistent and clear on one point above all others: they are there to represent everyone. Not just those who voted Reform UK. Not just those who voted at all. Every resident of their division – regardless of how they voted, regardless of whether they engaged with this election – is their constituent, and will be treated as such.
This was a local election about local issues: roads, finances, social care, planning, the services that affect daily life in East Sussex. Our candidates made that pledge repeatedly and publicly, and they mean it. It is also important to be clear-eyed about what Friday’s result means for the county council as a whole. Reform UK’s 22 seats make us comfortably the largest single group on a 50-seat council – but 26 seats would be needed for an overall majority, and we did not reach that threshold.
The full council composition now stands at 22 Reform UK, 13 Liberal Democrats, 11 Greens, 3 Conservatives, and 1 Independent. East Sussex County Council remains under no overall control. Our councillors will need to work constructively across the chamber to deliver for residents, and they are ready to do so – on the basis of local need and common sense, not party politics. That is, after all, exactly what voters sent them there to do.
A Fitting End to a Great Day for Local Politics
Outside the sun shone brightly, and as our candidates gathered outside the De La Warr Pavilion for photographs – once again, the public made their feelings known.
Residents stopped to shake hands, offering congratulations and words of encouragement. It was a scene that spoke to something beyond party politics: a genuine sense of local connection between our candidates and the communities they will now serve. These are not parachuted-in politicians, and many Rother residents clearly recognised that.
We thank every single person who voted Reform UK, who delivered leaflets, who knocked on doors, who helped at the count, and who believed in what we are building. This was just the beginning, and indeed for our newly elected councillors, their first public surgery was only hours away, and was held at the Bexhill Senior Citizens Club the very next day.
