The former Conservative group leader at the Isle of Wight Council has resigned as a councillor after becoming ‘disillusioned by politics and politicians, nationally and locally’.
Steve Hastings, the now-former ward councillor for Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet, has said he no longer believes in the Conservative Party. A by-election will take place to find his successor.
In a statement, Mr Hastings said the last 2 turbulent years in politics — including Partygate and scandals involving Tory MPs Owen Patterson, Chris Pincher and Imran Ahmed Khan — followed by a lack of governance due to an elongated leadership campaign and the ‘farce’ that has engulfed the leadership since has led him to become disillusioned by politics and politicians.
He said he thinks if you fly a flag, you must believe in what it stands for, and he can no longer believe in the Conservative flag he was elected under.
Mr Hastings said:
“I have no wish to change flags or go against the wishes of the electorate who wanted a Conservative at the time of the last election, therefore I feel I have no alternative but to resign from the Isle of Wight Council.”
Mr Hastings has been on the Isle of Wight Council after being elected to the Central Wight ward in a 2018 by-election following the resignation of Bob Seely to become MP. In the 2021 elections, Mr Hastings retained his seat with a 170-vote majority.
Following last year’s election, Mr Hastings became group leader of the Tory group at County Hall when the then leader, Dave Stewart, lost his seat. Failing to secure the majority of seats needed, the Conservative group tried to take control of County Hall but lost out to the Alliance Group.
A period of illness, however, saw Mr Hastings resign his position as group leader 7 months later to make way for Cllr Joe Robertson. He recovered to continue his role on the council.
Now, almost 5 years after joining the Isle of Wight Council, Mr Hastings has stood down.
A by-election, he said, will give residents the opportunity to decide again who they wish to represent them. Mr Hastings said it was a privilege and an honour to have represented his residents and thanked them for the opportunity to do so.
He said it had been a pleasure to work alongside Conservative group members, who consist of a lot of hard-working and committed men and women, and he wished them well for the future.
Councillor Joe Roberton, Leader of the Island Conservatives, has said:
“I would like to thank Steve for the contribution that he has made during his time on the Isle of Wight Council, particularly in his previous role as Cabinet Member for Heritage, Waste and Environment. I wish him and his wife well for the future and their new life in Devon.”
Even he can’t continue to support the Conservative party, for a variety of reasons, basically he has come to the same conclusion a considerable amount of the population in the UK have already come to.
But you watch the good people of Brighstone, Calbourne and Shalfleet go right ahead and elect another one.
Correct, we all have a choice. Thats democracy, we must vote according to our beliefs and circumstances.
Mr Hastings changed his mind, so fingers crossed.
Post body tubby
I don’t blame him.
In the world we are now living in, evil is being carried out before our own very eyes.
The worrying thing is people do not realise it.
So sad.
Steve i don’t blame you most of us are disillusioned with these conviction less politicians its all about self enrichment and ego’s
Bravo! If you could just take all your Tory mates with you, you’d be doing us all a big favour.
There is no room for party politics in any council, and least of all on the IOW.
Steve Hastings has to be commended for finally come to the inevitable conclusion that, the current bunch of unscrupulous, corrupt and unprincipled Tories that have disastrously run the country for over a decade, are no better than a gang of second-rate thugs.
I hope Seeley is looking for a new job. He’s as much use to the IW as a stick of limp celery!
I am glad to see that he is honourable enough to resign his seat. Far too many Councillors and M.P’s change their personal political allegiances but stay as the sitting representative.
It should be a requirement under law that if you opt to ‘change parties/resign from a party’ that a by-election takes place. After all, the Ward/Constituency Electorate voted for a particular party!
Crikey! A tory with a conscience…
Just wait for those die hard island tories to elect another populist, right wing, duplicitous, self serving upper class, chinless, crony.
Post body, fat boy
Plenty about !