RESULT: Tories hold Bexhill and Battle

Huw Merriman was first elected to the seat in 2015 and has been re-elected as MP for the area tonight.

He received 36,854 votes.

Labour’s Christine Bayliss finished second with 14,689 votes.

Lib Dem Joel Kemp polled 4,485 votes, Green’s Jonathan Kent polled 1,438.

UKIP’s Geoffrey Bastin finished fifth with 2,006 votes.

More to follow.