Tory heavyweight David Davis joined party supporters for a pint during a morale-boosting visit ahead of the upcoming local elections.
The shadow deputy prime minister spent two hours speaking to Conservative colleagues in Eastbourne canvassing for May's elections.
Former party chairman Mr Davis told a gathering at the Lamb Inn in High Street, Old Town, that it was vital the party united if it was to win power again.
He said: "When you ask floating voters what would stop them voting Tory, the biggest number of replies is the word division.
"If we can be united that would open up 25 per cent of the population to the prospect of voting Tory and we only need 13 per cent."
He spoke in front of leading opposition borough councillors including leader Graham Marsden, Barbara Goodall and Old Town hopeful Ian Lucas.
Afterwards, he officially opened Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson's new constituency office in Victoria Drive.
Earlier, Mr Davis was in Brighton and Hove to meet city council chief executive David Panter and electoral officer Chris Fossey about the elections.
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