Politics of the Isle of Wight
Encyclopedia
As a geographical entity distinct from the mainland
, the Isle of Wight
has always fought to have this identity recognised. The Isle of Wight is currently a ceremonial
and Non-metropolitan county and as it has no district councils (only the county council) it is effectively a unitary
county. The island is also the highest populated Westminster
constituency in the country.
of Hampshire
, previously called Southamptonshire.
on the large natural harbour on the island's north-western coast. A French raid in 1377, that destroyed much of the town as well as other Island settlements, sealed its permanent decline. By the middle of the sixteenth century, it was a small settlement long eclipsed by the more easily defended town of Newport
. Elizabeth I
breathed some life into the town by awarding two parliamentary seats
but this ultimately made it one of the most notorious of the Rotten Borough
s. By the time of the Great Reform Act
that abolished the seats, it had just fourteen houses and twenty-three voters. The Act also disenfranchised the boroughs of Newport
and Yarmouth
and replaced the six lost seats with the first MP for the whole Isle of Wight.
s were created in 1888. However, a "Home Rule" campaign led to a separate county council being established for the Isle of Wight in 1890, and it has remained separate ever since. Like inhabitants of many islands, Islanders are fiercely jealous of their real (or perceived) independence, and confusion over the Island's separate status is a perennial source of friction.
It was planned to merge the county back into Hampshire as a district in the 1974 local government reform, but a last minute change led to it retaining its county council. However, since there was no provision made in the Local Government Act 1972
for unitary authorities
, the Island had to retain a two-tier structure, with a county council and two boroughs, Medina and South Wight
.
The borough councils were merged with the county council on 1 April 1995, to form a single unitary authority
, the Isle of Wight Council
. The only significant present-day administrative link with Hampshire
is the police service, which is joint between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
The Isle of Wight forms a single constituency of the House of Commons
, with an electorate of 108,253 (as of 2004). This is by far the largest electorate in the country, and more than 50% above the England average of 70,026. The Boundary Commission has considered the possibility of splitting the island into two constituencies, but it was felt that the island would be better represented by a single MP.
The constituency is traditionally a battleground between the Conservatives
and the Liberal Democrats
. Between 1974 and 1987, the seat was a Liberal
seat, then becoming Conservative until 1997 when the Liberal Democrats won on a reduced Conservative vote. The seat reverted to the Conservatives in 2001.
constituency in the 2010 Untited Kingdom general election which was held on 6 May 2010.
:
Results:
The election was expected to be a close race between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, but the high Conservative vote even surprised the successful candidate. The simultaneous local elections resulted in a Conservative landslide
, and the high turnout and popular Conservative vote in the parliamentary election was likely to be a local sign of dissatisfaction with the incumbent, largely Liberal Democrat Council, as well as reflecting on the national issues. The Labour Party continued to buck the national trend and increased the Labour vote to the highest for over 30 years, whilst the UKIP, did not manage to make the breakthrough expected by some, and only slightly increased their vote share.
Voting Summary:
, the incumbent MP, Dr Peter Brand
, a Liberal Democrat, was ousted by Andrew Turner of the Conservatives, one of the few constituencies to change hands. The Isle of Wight was also the last constituency in England to declare its results.
Results:
These results indicate a 6.6% swing from Liberal Democrat to Conservative
relative to the 1997 election. However there was only a small increase in the number of Conservative votes, while the Liberal Democrat vote fell significantly. The Labour vote again increased which was against the national pattern.
Among the minor parties the UK Independence
gained votes, although not able to equal the results achieved by the similarly eurosceptic Referendum party in 1997. This was possibly due to strategic voting
by the generally right-wing supporters of the eurosceptic policies to ensure a Conservative
victory. The Green Party
also managed to almost triple its share of the vote.
The 'Isle of Wight Party' was a minor party established for this election, which fought the election on local issues, primarily campaigning for a 'Fixed Link' between the island and the mainland.
Voting Summary:
In common with much of the country the turnout in 2001 was down on 1997, with the number voting comparable to the national average (59%).
has been a Conservative
controlled council. Between 2001 and May 2005, the ruling group of the Isle of Wight Council
was a coalition
called 'Island First' composed of Liberal Democrats
and independents.
A local referendum
on the issue of a directly-elected mayor of the Isle of Wight was held at the same time as the local elections - this failed to pass, with 37,097 against to 28,786 for.
region for the purposes of European Parliament
ary elections.
on the Isle of Wight were as follows.
Please note: the following results are exclusively for the Isle of Wight; results are collated regionally prior to MEP
s being assigned under the closed list
proportional representation
system.
Turnout on the Isle of Wight was 43,709 on an electorate of 109,796 (39.81%)
on the Isle of Wight were as follows.
Please note: the following results are exclusively for the Isle of Wight; results are collated regionally prior to MEP
s being assigned under the closed list
proportional representation
system.
Regionally, turnout was 36.5% on an electorate of 6,087,103.
. This became more of an issue towards the end of the twentieth century, when it became more economically and technically feasible to build such a link, with the bridge to the Isle of Skye
as a model. Continuing debate centres on whether a fixed link is desirable.
Around the turn of the century, the Isle of Wight Party campaigned from a positive position, although extensive public debate on the subject revealed a strong body of opinion against such a proposal. In 2002, the Isle of Wight Council debated the issue and made a policy statement against the proposal, whilst MP
Andrew Turner remains opposed construction of a link.
Arguments in favour of a fixed link tend to concentrate upon the economic benefits that improved communications with the mainland may bring. There is some support among young people, which tends to be a form of rebellion against the inevitably parochial culture of the island. People of all ages often express dissatisfaction with the cost of cross-Solent travel, and although this is not quite the same issue as the link debate, the two are often combined by the assumption that a fixed link would be cheaper.
Arguments against a fixed link include the risk to the unique island culture and environment; the risk of losing local distinctiveness, services and facilities to the much larger and economically active south Hampshire
conurbation
; fear of increased levels of crime; and issues of immigration.
Although those in favour of a fixed link tend to envisage a tolled road link in the same vein as the bridge to Skye
, plans have also been proposed for passenger-only rail and tram links under the Solent
, linking Ryde with Portsmouth
and Gosport
. These kind of plans have tended to win more support with island residents.
for the Isle of Wight, to what could be described as the opposite extreme of merging the county back into Hampshire. The pro-independence lobby had a formal voice in the early 1970s with the Vectis National Party
. Their main claim was that the sale of the island to the crown in 1293 was unconstitutional (see History of the Isle of Wight
). However, this movement now has little serious support.
Since the 1990s the debate has largely taken the form of a campaign to have the Isle of Wight recognized as a distinct region
by organizations such as the EU, due to its relative poverty within the southern England. One argument in favour of special treatment is that this poverty is not acknowledged by such organizations as it is distorted statistically by retired and wealthy (but less economically active) immigrants from the mainland.
s has been an issue the island has remained divided over since proposals were first put forward, with many residents in the West Wight, where they are likely to be built claiming they would be unsightly and create a lot of noise. In protest against wind turbines the pressure group ThWART was formed (The Wight Against Rural Turbines) with the aim of working with the Council to adopt a realistic renewable energy policy with solutions other than wind turbines, claiming that any on the island would be inappropriately sited.
Initially plans were put forward for seven turbines to be built on land close to Wellow
with many people around the area criticising the plan with the view that better alternatives could be found. Petitions were set up by local residents before the planning application was put forward to the Council, and the plans were later rejected. Following this several other applications have been submitted to the Council for turbines at various locations including small wind turbines at Ventnor
Golf Club. Plans for small turbines at Cheverton Down have already been given the go ahead but plans for larger ones at 125 metres tall were rejected by Isle of Wight Council planners on 3 December 2009. It is still unclear whether developers will appeal against this decision.
General views from residents on the island have been mixed to proposals, and it is therefore unclear when and where wind turbines will eventually be constructed. The Isle of Wight Council stated that in a survey carried out at the beginning of 2009 on local residents attitudes towards wind turbines were two to one against, with 612 in favour and 1,328 against Cheverton Down proposals.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
has always fought to have this identity recognised. The Isle of Wight is currently a ceremonial
Ceremonial counties of England
The ceremonial counties are areas of England to which are appointed a Lord Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as counties and areas for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England and Lieutenancies Act 1997...
and Non-metropolitan county and as it has no district councils (only the county council) it is effectively a unitary
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
county. The island is also the highest populated Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
constituency in the country.
Political history
Historically, the island was part of the historic countyHistoric counties of England
The historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
of Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, previously called Southamptonshire.
Historic boroughs of the Island
The island's most ancient borough was NewtownNewtown, Isle of Wight
Newtown is a small hamlet on the Isle of Wight, in England. In medieval times it was a thriving borough.Newtown is located on the large natural harbour on the Island's north-western coast, now mostly a National Nature Reserve owned and managed by the National Trust.The Caul Bourne stream running...
on the large natural harbour on the island's north-western coast. A French raid in 1377, that destroyed much of the town as well as other Island settlements, sealed its permanent decline. By the middle of the sixteenth century, it was a small settlement long eclipsed by the more easily defended town of Newport
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
. Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
breathed some life into the town by awarding two parliamentary seats
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
but this ultimately made it one of the most notorious of the Rotten Borough
Rotten borough
A "rotten", "decayed" or pocket borough was a parliamentary borough or constituency in the United Kingdom that had a very small electorate and could be used by a patron to gain undue and unrepresentative influence within Parliament....
s. By the time of the Great Reform Act
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
that abolished the seats, it had just fourteen houses and twenty-three voters. The Act also disenfranchised the boroughs of Newport
Newport (Isle of Wight) (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport was a parliamentary borough located in Newport , which was abolished in for the 1885 general election. It was occasionally referred to by the alternative name of Medina....
and Yarmouth
Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) (UK Parliament constituency)
Yarmouth was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
and replaced the six lost seats with the first MP for the whole Isle of Wight.
Local governance
Often thought of as part of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight was briefly included in that county when the first county councilCounty council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
s were created in 1888. However, a "Home Rule" campaign led to a separate county council being established for the Isle of Wight in 1890, and it has remained separate ever since. Like inhabitants of many islands, Islanders are fiercely jealous of their real (or perceived) independence, and confusion over the Island's separate status is a perennial source of friction.
It was planned to merge the county back into Hampshire as a district in the 1974 local government reform, but a last minute change led to it retaining its county council. However, since there was no provision made in the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
for unitary authorities
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, the Island had to retain a two-tier structure, with a county council and two boroughs, Medina and South Wight
South Wight
South Wight was a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough on the Isle of Wight in England from 1974 to 1995.The district was formed by the Local Government Act 1972, and was a merger of Sandown-Shanklin and Ventnor urban districts and Isle of Wight Rural District...
.
The borough councils were merged with the county council on 1 April 1995, to form a single unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, the Isle of Wight Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
. The only significant present-day administrative link with Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
is the police service, which is joint between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Westminster representation
- See also Parliamentary representation from Isle of WightParliamentary representation from Isle of WightThe Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England, was part of the historic county of Hampshire , and was linked with it for parliamentary purposes until 1832, when it became a county constituency in its own right as it had also been during the Protectorate...
for a list of the current and historical constituencies.
The Isle of Wight forms a single constituency of the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, with an electorate of 108,253 (as of 2004). This is by far the largest electorate in the country, and more than 50% above the England average of 70,026. The Boundary Commission has considered the possibility of splitting the island into two constituencies, but it was felt that the island would be better represented by a single MP.
The constituency is traditionally a battleground between the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
. Between 1974 and 1987, the seat was a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
seat, then becoming Conservative until 1997 when the Liberal Democrats won on a reduced Conservative vote. The seat reverted to the Conservatives in 2001.
2010 General Election
Eleven candidates stood for the Isle of WightIsle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Wight is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, it covers the whole of the Isle of Wight and elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.-...
constituency in the 2010 Untited Kingdom general election which was held on 6 May 2010.
2005 General Election
Five candidates contested the Isle of Wight constituency in the United Kingdom general election, 2005United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
:
Results:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % Share | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Andrew Turner | 32,717 | 48.94% | 9.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
Anthony Rowlands | 19,739 | 29.53% | −5.8 | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Mark Chiverton | 11,484 | 17.18% | 2.4 | |
| UK Independence United Kingdom Independence Party The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP... |
Michael Tarrant | 2,352 | 3.51% | 0.2 | |
| Independent | Edward Corby | 551 | 0.82% | n/a | |
The election was expected to be a close race between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, but the high Conservative vote even surprised the successful candidate. The simultaneous local elections resulted in a Conservative landslide
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
, and the high turnout and popular Conservative vote in the parliamentary election was likely to be a local sign of dissatisfaction with the incumbent, largely Liberal Democrat Council, as well as reflecting on the national issues. The Labour Party continued to buck the national trend and increased the Labour vote to the highest for over 30 years, whilst the UKIP, did not manage to make the breakthrough expected by some, and only slightly increased their vote share.
Voting Summary:
| Winning Party | Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| Majority | 12,978 | 19.42% |
| Turnout | 62.4% | |
| Spoilt Ballots | 270 |
2001 General Election
In the 2001 General ElectionUnited Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
, the incumbent MP, Dr Peter Brand
Peter Brand
Peter Brand is a United Kingdom general practitioner and Liberal Democrat politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight at the 1997 general election after coming second in 1992, but lost his seat to the Conservatives at the 2001 election...
, a Liberal Democrat, was ousted by Andrew Turner of the Conservatives, one of the few constituencies to change hands. The Isle of Wight was also the last constituency in England to declare its results.
Results:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % Share | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Andrew Turner | 25,223 | 39.73% | +6.21% | |
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
Peter Brand Peter Brand Peter Brand is a United Kingdom general practitioner and Liberal Democrat politician. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Isle of Wight at the 1997 general election after coming second in 1992, but lost his seat to the Conservatives at the 2001 election... |
22,397 | 35.28% | -6.87% | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Deborah Gardiner | 9,676 | 15.24% | +2.24% | |
| UK Independence United Kingdom Independence Party The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP... |
David Charles Lott | 2,106 | 3.32% | +0.48% | |
| Independent | David Laurence Holmes | 1,423 | 2.24% | ||
| Green Party Green Party (UK) The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :... |
Paul Kevin Scivier | 1,279 | 2.01% | +1.28% | |
| Isle of Wight Party | Philip Murray | 1,164 | 1.83% | ||
| Socialist Labour Socialist Labour Party (UK) The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party... |
James Lightfoot Spensley | 214 | 0.34% | ||
These results indicate a 6.6% swing from Liberal Democrat to Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
relative to the 1997 election. However there was only a small increase in the number of Conservative votes, while the Liberal Democrat vote fell significantly. The Labour vote again increased which was against the national pattern.
Among the minor parties the UK Independence
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
gained votes, although not able to equal the results achieved by the similarly eurosceptic Referendum party in 1997. This was possibly due to strategic voting
Tactical voting
In voting systems, tactical voting occurs, in elections with more than two viable candidates, when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her sincere preference in order to prevent an undesirable outcome.It has been shown by the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem that any voting method which is...
by the generally right-wing supporters of the eurosceptic policies to ensure a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
victory. The Green Party
Green Party (UK)
The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :...
also managed to almost triple its share of the vote.
The 'Isle of Wight Party' was a minor party established for this election, which fought the election on local issues, primarily campaigning for a 'Fixed Link' between the island and the mainland.
Voting Summary:
| Winning Party | Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
|
| Majority | 2,826 | 4.45% |
| Turnout | 63,905 | 61.19% |
| Spoilt Ballots | 423 | 0.66% |
In common with much of the country the turnout in 2001 was down on 1997, with the number voting comparable to the national average (59%).
Local government
From 2005 the Isle of Wight CouncilIsle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
has been a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
controlled council. Between 2001 and May 2005, the ruling group of the Isle of Wight Council
Isle of Wight Council
The Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
was a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
called 'Island First' composed of Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
and independents.
2009 local council elections
The local council elections were held on 2009-06-04, the same date as the European parliamentary elections. Following a review by the boundary commission the number of councillors was reduced from 48 to 40, consisting of 38 single member constituencies and 1 double member constituency.| Party | 2005 Cllrs | 2005 Cllrs, restated | Gain/Loss | 2009 Cllrs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative Party Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
35 | 29 | -5 | 24 | |
| Independents | 5 | 4 | +3 | 7 | |
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
5 | 4 | +1 | 5 | |
| Labour Party Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
2 | 2 | -1 | 1 | |
| Others | 1 | 1 | +2 | 3 | |
| Total | 48 | 40 | - | 40 | |
2005 local council elections
The local council elections were held on 2005-05-05, the same date as the general election of that year.| Party | Seats won in 2001 elections | Seats won in 2005 elections | Gain/Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
19 | 5 | -14 | |
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
12 | 35 | +23 | |
| Independents | 11 | 5 | -6 | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
5 | 2 | -3 | |
| Others | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
A local referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on the issue of a directly-elected mayor of the Isle of Wight was held at the same time as the local elections - this failed to pass, with 37,097 against to 28,786 for.
2001 local council elections
The local council elections were held on 2001-06-07, the same date as the general election. Issues with the paper used in ballots meant that results were delayed until later in the day after the election.| Party | Seats prior to 2001 | Seats post 2001 elections | Gain/Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
18 | 19 | +1 | |
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
13 | 12 | -1 | |
| Independents | 7 | 11 | +4 | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
4 | 5 | +1 | |
| Others | 6 | 1 | -5 | |
Historical results
Please Note: Prior to 1995, these results are for Isle of Wight County Council.| Election Year | Incumbent Party/Parties |
|---|---|
| 1973 | Independent |
| 1977 | Conservatives |
| 1981 | Liberals Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
| 1985 | Liberal/Social Democrats Social Democratic Party (UK) The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams... |
| 1989 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1993 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1995 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1998 | No Overall Control (Liberal Democrats largest grouping) |
| 2001 | No Overall Control; Island First (Lib Dem and Independents) controlling group. |
| 2005 | Conservative Party |
| 2009 | Conservative Party |
European Parliamentary Representation
The Isle of Wight is a part of the South East EnglandSouth East England (European Parliament constituency)
South East England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 10 Members of the European Parliament using the D'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
region for the purposes of European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
ary elections.
2009 European Parliamentary Elections
The results of the European Parliament election, 2009European Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
on the Isle of Wight were as follows.
Please note: the following results are exclusively for the Isle of Wight; results are collated regionally prior to MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
s being assigned under the closed list
Closed list
Closed list describes the variant of party-list proportional representation where voters can only vote for political parties as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected...
proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system.
| Party | Votes | Percentage Share | SE England Share | SE England MEPs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
14,122 | 32.3 | 34.8 | 4 | |
| UK Independence United Kingdom Independence Party The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP... |
9,563 | 21.9 | 18.8 | 2 | |
| Green Party Green Party (UK) The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :... |
5,380 | 12.3 | 11.6 | 1 | |
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
5,112 | 11.7 | 14.1 | 2 | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
2,607 | 6.0 | 8.2 | 1 | |
| British National Party British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
2,223 | 5.1 | 4.4 | ||
| English Democrats English Democrats Party The English Democrats are an English federalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English... |
1,148 | 2.6 | 2.2 | ||
| Christian Party | 736 | 1.7 | 1.5 | ||
| No2EU | 461 | 1.1 | 0.9 | ||
| United Kingdom First | 380 | 0.9 | 0.7 | ||
| Socialist Labour Party Socialist Labour Party (UK) The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party... |
343 | 0.8 | 0.7 | ||
| Jury Team | 274 | 0.6 | 0.6 | ||
| Libertas Libertas Libertas was the Roman goddess and embodiment of liberty.- Temples and derived inspirations :In 238 BC, before the Second Punic War, having long been a Roman deity along with other personified virtues, Libertas assumed goddess status... |
247 | 0.6 | 0.7 | ||
| The Peace Party | 201 | 0.5 | 0.4 | ||
| The Roman Party | 101 | 0.2 | 0.2 | ||
| Rejected Ballots | 811 | 1.9 | |||
Turnout on the Isle of Wight was 43,709 on an electorate of 109,796 (39.81%)
2004 European Parliamentary Elections
The results of the European Parliament election, 2004European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
on the Isle of Wight were as follows.
Please note: the following results are exclusively for the Isle of Wight; results are collated regionally prior to MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
s being assigned under the closed list
Closed list
Closed list describes the variant of party-list proportional representation where voters can only vote for political parties as a whole and thus have no influence on the party-supplied order in which party candidates are elected...
proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system.
| Party | Votes | Percentage Share | SE England Share | SE England MEPs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
11,341 | 32.4% | 35.2% | 4 | |
| UK Independence United Kingdom Independence Party The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP... |
9,913 | 28.4% | 19.5% | 2 | |
| Liberal Democrats Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the... |
4,234 | 12.1% | 15.3% | 2 | |
| Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
3,479 | 9.9% | 13.7% | 1 | |
| Green Party Green Party (UK) The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :... |
2,745 | 7.8% | 7.9% | 1 | |
| Senior Citizens Senior Citizens Party The Senior Citizens Party is a political party in the United Kingdom, which focuses on the rights of people over the age of 50. They claim a membership of several thousand people.... |
1,237 | 3.5% | 1.9% | ||
| British National Party British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
918 | 2.6% | 2.9% | ||
| English Democrats English Democrats Party The English Democrats are an English federalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English... |
523 | 1.5% | 1.3% | ||
| Peace | 151 | 0.4% | 0.6% | ||
| Christian Alliance Christian Peoples Alliance The Christian Peoples Alliance is a Christian democratic political party in the United Kingdom. Founded in its present form in 1999; it grew out of a cross-party advocacy group known as the Movement for Christian Democracy. The party is active throughout England and has fledgling groups specific... |
140 | 0.4% | 0.5% | ||
| Pro-Life ProLife Alliance ProLife Alliance is an advocacy group in the United Kingdom, formed in October 1996. It is opposed to human cloning and abortion, opposes experiments on human embryos and also opposes any form of euthanasia. It supports anti-abortion taxation policies and guaranteed maternity and paternity leave... |
103 | 0.3% | 0.3% | ||
| Respect RESPECT The Unity Coalition Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:... |
100 | 0.3% | 0.6% | ||
| Independent - Rhodes | 81 | 0.2% | 0.3% | ||
Regionally, turnout was 36.5% on an electorate of 6,087,103.
Fixed link
For many years there has been debate over whether or not a bridge or tunnel should connect the island with mainland BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. This became more of an issue towards the end of the twentieth century, when it became more economically and technically feasible to build such a link, with the bridge to the Isle of Skye
Skye Bridge
The Skye Bridge is a road bridge over Loch Alsh, connecting mainland Highland with the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It forms part of the A87. The bridge is located at around , with one pillar standing on the island of Eilean Bàn....
as a model. Continuing debate centres on whether a fixed link is desirable.
Around the turn of the century, the Isle of Wight Party campaigned from a positive position, although extensive public debate on the subject revealed a strong body of opinion against such a proposal. In 2002, the Isle of Wight Council debated the issue and made a policy statement against the proposal, whilst MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Andrew Turner remains opposed construction of a link.
Arguments in favour of a fixed link tend to concentrate upon the economic benefits that improved communications with the mainland may bring. There is some support among young people, which tends to be a form of rebellion against the inevitably parochial culture of the island. People of all ages often express dissatisfaction with the cost of cross-Solent travel, and although this is not quite the same issue as the link debate, the two are often combined by the assumption that a fixed link would be cheaper.
Arguments against a fixed link include the risk to the unique island culture and environment; the risk of losing local distinctiveness, services and facilities to the much larger and economically active south Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
; fear of increased levels of crime; and issues of immigration.
Although those in favour of a fixed link tend to envisage a tolled road link in the same vein as the bridge to Skye
Skye Bridge
The Skye Bridge is a road bridge over Loch Alsh, connecting mainland Highland with the Isle of Skye, Scotland. It forms part of the A87. The bridge is located at around , with one pillar standing on the island of Eilean Bàn....
, plans have also been proposed for passenger-only rail and tram links under the Solent
Solent
The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...
, linking Ryde with Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
and Gosport
Gosport
Gosport is a town, district and borough situated on the south coast of England, within the county of Hampshire. It has approximately 80,000 permanent residents with a further 5,000-10,000 during the summer months...
. These kind of plans have tended to win more support with island residents.
Autonomy and political recognition
A number of discussions about the status of the island have taken place over many years, with standpoints from the extreme of wanting full sovereigntySovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
for the Isle of Wight, to what could be described as the opposite extreme of merging the county back into Hampshire. The pro-independence lobby had a formal voice in the early 1970s with the Vectis National Party
Vectis National Party
The Vectis National Party was a minor political party operating on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. Formed in 1969, the party sought the same status for Wight as the Isle of Man has...
. Their main claim was that the sale of the island to the crown in 1293 was unconstitutional (see History of the Isle of Wight
History of the Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is rich in historical and archaeological sites. These range from prehistoric fossil beds which include dinosaur remains, to dwellings and artefacts of the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period and beyond....
). However, this movement now has little serious support.
Since the 1990s the debate has largely taken the form of a campaign to have the Isle of Wight recognized as a distinct region
Region (Europe)
The European Union created a Committee of the Regions to represent Regions of Europe as the layer of EU government administration directly below the nation-state level...
by organizations such as the EU, due to its relative poverty within the southern England. One argument in favour of special treatment is that this poverty is not acknowledged by such organizations as it is distorted statistically by retired and wealthy (but less economically active) immigrants from the mainland.
Wind turbines
Wind turbineWind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s has been an issue the island has remained divided over since proposals were first put forward, with many residents in the West Wight, where they are likely to be built claiming they would be unsightly and create a lot of noise. In protest against wind turbines the pressure group ThWART was formed (The Wight Against Rural Turbines) with the aim of working with the Council to adopt a realistic renewable energy policy with solutions other than wind turbines, claiming that any on the island would be inappropriately sited.
Initially plans were put forward for seven turbines to be built on land close to Wellow
Wellow, Isle of Wight
Wellow is a village on the Isle of Wight. It is located about two miles east of Yarmouth in the northwest of the island. The name is believed to be of Jutish origin. Recently a proposal to erect a wind farm was rejected after a high profile protest campaign. Located within Wellow are a small...
with many people around the area criticising the plan with the view that better alternatives could be found. Petitions were set up by local residents before the planning application was put forward to the Council, and the plans were later rejected. Following this several other applications have been submitted to the Council for turbines at various locations including small wind turbines at Ventnor
Ventnor
Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies underneath St Boniface Down , and is built on steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the sea...
Golf Club. Plans for small turbines at Cheverton Down have already been given the go ahead but plans for larger ones at 125 metres tall were rejected by Isle of Wight Council planners on 3 December 2009. It is still unclear whether developers will appeal against this decision.
General views from residents on the island have been mixed to proposals, and it is therefore unclear when and where wind turbines will eventually be constructed. The Isle of Wight Council stated that in a survey carried out at the beginning of 2009 on local residents attitudes towards wind turbines were two to one against, with 612 in favour and 1,328 against Cheverton Down proposals.
See also
- Isle of Wight CouncilIsle of Wight CouncilThe Isle of Wight Council is a local council. It is a unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. It is currently made up of 40 seats, with the Conservatives as ruling party with 24 councillors at the latest local election in June 2009....
- Isle of WightIsle of WightThe Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
- History of the Isle of WightHistory of the Isle of WightThe Isle of Wight is rich in historical and archaeological sites. These range from prehistoric fossil beds which include dinosaur remains, to dwellings and artefacts of the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman period and beyond....
- Politics of the United KingdomPolitics of the United KingdomThe politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...