result of delayed implementation of the Local Government Act 1972, it was almost wholly moved into West Sussex. At the 1983 general election, it gained some of the wards (including East Grinstead itself) previously contained in the East Grinstead constituency (which disappeared at that election, its last MP Geoffrey Johnson Smith contested and won the new seat of Wealden in East Sussex), and at the 1997 election, it gained many of the semi-rural wards with smaller communities between East Grinstead and Crawley. From its creation in 1983 to the present, it has been a Conservative seat, with the primary opposition until the 2015 election being the Liberal Democrats and their predecessors the Liberal Party. In 2015, there was a severe fall in Liberal Democrats support. Labour's candidate come second in the seat for the first time in its history. In 2017, Labour consolidated this lead at the 2017 General Election by gaining almost double the votes of the Liberal Democrats. In the 2016 European Union referendum, Mid Sussex voted for the United Kingdom to remain a member of the European Union. Despite this, Soames called for MPs to back Theresa May's withdrawal agreement. However, he was one of the 21 Conservative rebels who voted to allow Parliament to vote to legislate to prevent a no deal Brexit on 3 September 2019, and subsequently became an independent, after the rebels had the Conservative whip removed. He then decided not to stand for re-election although he had the whip restored before dissolution. Members of Parliament Elections Elections in the 2010s Davies had served as Member of Parliament for Eastleigh from 2015 until the 2019 election was called. Elections in the 2000s Elections in the 1990s This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1992 and 1997 general elections and thus change in share of vote is based on a notional calculation. Elections in the 1980s This constituency underwent boundary changes between the 1979 and 1983 general elections and thus calculation of the change in share of vote is not possible. Elections in the 1970s See also List of parliamentary constituencies in West Sussex Notes References Sources Election result, 2015 (BBC) Election result, 2010 (BBC) Election result, 2005 (BBC) Election results, 1997 - 2001 (BBC) Election results, 1997 - 2001 (Election Demon) Election results, 1983 - 1997 (Election Demon) Election results, 1974 - 2001 (Political Science Resources) Parliamentary constituencies in South East England Constituencies