A narrow result last time out – and a change in party representation since – has set up Cowes North as one of the Island’s most competitive urban battlegrounds.
Stretching across the northern part of the town, the ward takes in the High Street, harbour frontage and marina, alongside Northwood Park and surrounding residential streets.
Cowes North combines the town’s commercial and maritime centre with densely populated housing areas, giving it a more urban character than many other Island divisions.
That mix is reflected in its electoral competitiveness. At the 2021 Isle of Wight Council election, Labour’s Richard Quigley was elected with 587 votes, narrowly defeating Conservative Richard Hollis on 552 – a margin of just 35 votes.
Quigley was later elected as MP for Isle of Wight West in 2024, leaving the council seat open and adding a further layer of uncertainty to this contest.
With Hollis now standing as an independent, Labour defending through John ‘Jock’ Rafferty, and both Conservative and Reform candidates in the field, the result appears wide open.
Labour candidate John ‘Jock’ Rafferty is seeking to hold the seat following Richard Quigley’s move to Westminster.
Originally from Bonnyrigg near Edinburgh, Jock has lived in Cowes for 15 years after a career that has taken him around the world, and remains a recognisable figure locally.
A long-standing Labour member who describes himself as a socialist, he comes from a mining family and began working life as a steeplejack alongside his father, later acting as a representative in Scotland for Fred Dibnah. He has since worked in the Island’s yachting industry.
Jock has served as a Cowes Town Councillor since 2019 and has chaired the projects committee, giving him experience in local decision-making.
Setting out his approach, he says:
“You need the best person for the job irrespective of party label.”
He is also calling for a new chain ferry, describing the current service as not fit for purpose, and says pressure should be applied to Southern Water over sewage discharges.
Conservative candidate Siobhan Barney is aiming to return the seat to the party, bringing a finance background and a focus on delivery in local services.
Siobhan moved to the Island in 2019 and has served for 2 years on Cowes Town Council. With a career in finance, she argues that experience beyond the Island is important in public life.
She has highlighted the contrast within the ward, pointing to working households across areas such as Birmingham Road, Denmark Road and the Cut, where residents rely heavily on council services.
Her campaign focuses on financial discipline and infrastructure, alongside opposition to further housing without the necessary support in place.
Setting out her approach, she says:
“Much of this ward is working families who rely on services and deserve better. We spend too much time fighting ourselves – I’m keen to hold people’s feet to the fire and make things happen.”
She has also criticised the scale of road closures as “insane” and questions why utility works are not coordinated more effectively.
Richard Hollis is standing as an independent after narrowly missing out in 2021, bringing experience and a well-established local profile to the race.
A Cowes Town Councillor since 2021, Hollis has long-standing ties to the Island, having bought a house in 1990 before moving permanently in 2006. A retired hotelier, he has also worked for Schweppes and run his own printing business.
He came within 35 votes of winning the seat at the last election and now returns as an independent, arguing that experience is crucial in a role he describes as a “sharp learning curve”.
His priorities include protecting the marine industry, addressing sewage issues, tackling noise pollution and improving parking affordability.
Explaining his approach, he says:
“Being an independent makes me free. I listen, I understand the issues, and I’ve got nothing to hide.”
He has also questioned the visibility of other candidates, adding:
“Where is Reform? We don’t know who he is. There have been no leaflets, no communication, no contactability.”
Reform UK candidate Ian Arnold is presenting himself as a voice for local residents, focusing on democracy and accountability.
Ian works for Southern & Scottish Electricity (SSE) and is standing on a platform centred on giving residents a greater say in decision-making.
He frames his campaign around representation rather than policy detail, arguing that councillors should reflect the views of the people they serve.
Setting out his position, he says:
“It’s not about what I want – it’s about what the people want. If people vote for me, they’re voting for themselves.”
He adds:
“I don’t think we have enough democracy. What the country needs is Reform because they listen.”
He also highlights frustration with roadworks, saying he is fed up with roads being repeatedly dug up.
Cowes North has moved from a marginal Labour gain in 2021 into a fragmented 4-way contest following Quigley’s move to Westminster.
With the previous Conservative challenger now standing as an independent, and both major parties and Reform competing for support, this is a race where the vote could split in several directions.
In a ward decided by just 35 votes last time, even small shifts could prove decisive.
Reform? Democracy? Ahahahaha….someone please ask him how much democracy there is within his party. He SHOULD reply ‘the members have no say whatsoever, all decisions are at board level because it is a business, and therefore unaccountable.
Heads up…he won’t. One wonders if he knows anything about politics at all.