General Election 2019: Here are the candidates standing for the Bexhill and Battle constituency

Jonathan Kent, who stood for the Greens in both the 2015 and 2017 elections, has been chosen to represent the party again when the country votes on December 12.

He grew up in the constituency and went to school in Stonegate and Tunbridge Wells.

During a career in media he worked for the BBC, Reuters, Newsweek and US public radio and worked both as a political reporter in Westminster and a foreign correspondent in South East Asia.

He said: “This election will be about both the future of the country and the future of the planet.

“With heatwaves and floods hitting the UK this summer, people are realising that the climate crisis is the issue of our times. We either find a solution now or we perish. The choice is that stark. A Green vote is a vote for a fairer and greener Britain, and a vote for our future.”

On Brexit, he is calling for a People’s Vote on the final deal before the country leaves the EU.

Christine Bayliss has once again been selected to stand as the Labour candidate.

She has lived in Bexhill and Battle most of her adult life and serves as a Rother district councillor for the ward of Bexhill Central and is cabinet member for Bexhill affairs and regeneration.

Christine was at the forefront of the Democracy4Bexhill campaign that led the charge for a town council for Bexhill.

She is a trustee of Aurora Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust based in Bexhill, as well as a trustee of Mnarani Aid, a charity that raises money for children with special educational needs in Kenya. Christine worked for the Department for Education for 15 years. Following a career as a civil servant, Christine started her own consultancy business based in Bexhill.

She said: “I am delighted to be chosen again to stand for the seat of Bexhill and Battle, the place I have been proud to live, work and raise my family in.”

Martin Saunders is standing as the Lib Dem candidate. He has lived within the constituency in Etchingham for the last 15 years with his wife, Jennifer.

He is a solicitor and a former partner in an international law firm. He studied law at St John’s College, Oxford.

He said: “This is a wonderful corner of England and we must preserve the beauty and character of this special place. We must also not forget there are areas of deprivation here. Far more needs to be done to improve public services and invest in education and training.”

In the 2016 referendum Martin campaigned for Remain. He said he and the Liberal Democrats remain committed to stopping Brexit.

The party had strong results in the district council elections in May and now share power as part of the Rother Alliance.

Martin is a trustee of the RSPB and volunteers with conservation work at nature reserves in Crowhurst and Pembury. He is also a trustee of the Rother District Citizens Advice Bureau.

Huw Merriman, who has been Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle since 2015, is standing for re-election.

Prior to becoming an MP, Huw worked as a lawyer for 18 years and served as a Wealden district councillor for eight years.

He said: “I have always done my best to take the challenges we face in our community and use my voice in Parliament to demand solutions.

“I’m committed to getting Brexit done so we can strengthen the economy and further invest in our schools, our NHS and the police.

“So a vote for me will ensure you return an MP who is not afraid to take on his own Government when our local needs require it.

“I’ll continue to support democracy by honouring the referendum result which the majority of voters voted for. If the numbers are there, we can deliver Brexit before the end of January.”

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