Donna Jones, the current Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, has been selected as the Conservative Party’s official candidate for the newly created Mayoral role in the region.
In May 2026, voters across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will help elect a regional mayor for the first time. These new positions will oversee vital areas including transport infrastructure, skills and training, housing, strategic planning, economic growth and environmental priorities and have powers over these areas that the mayor can use to turbo-charge Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Commenting on her selection, Donna Jones has said:
“I’m honoured to have the backing of the Conservative Party. Regional mayors will play a pivotal role in bringing hundreds of millions of pounds in investment to our communities: to boost public transport, attract new jobs, and enhance the lives of the 2.2 million residents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
“I’ve already represented both counties for five years, and if elected next May, I will continue to listen, act, and deliver, just as I always have.”
Charlie Daniel-Hobbs, Chairman of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Conservatives, adds:
“Donna was selected after a competitive process and brings a wealth of experience to this new and significant role. She’s run a city council with a near £1 billion budget, has a successful background in finance, has held board positions at national and international firms, and is currently responsible for policing across the region.
“It’s no surprise that the Conservative Party has backed Donna. They know that she’ll deliver. Her track record speaks for itself”.
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Oh dear
And yet she, as well as the Tories, is against the idea of regional of devolution and regional mayors. Eyes on the prize and maintaining relevance Donna? It’s no surprise they back her; her track record does indeed speak for itself. It’s called cronyism.
So,useless at being a PCC, now she wants to be useless as an unwanted mayor,more wages is it donna?
Her track record does indeed speak for itself, absolute rubbish track record.
Having heard her speak first hand, the previous comments are somewhat unfair.
Most others know the problems that we are all up against and can talk about them until the cowes come home, but she has solutions, and given the time and opportunity to get stuck in will do a good job. She is also aware of the problems that we on the Island need dealing with and is regularly seen on the Island.
The Mayoral system is being shoehorned into every corner of our country and it needs people like her that can deal with the situation Whether she agrees with it or not is of no consequence, it needs tackling head on and not head in the sand hoping it will go away.
From one gravey train to another it’s all about the money honey don’t kid your self its any thing else
Is the correct answer Rodney. Ever since she started as a councillor in Hilsea. She’s a self promoting politician. Like most conservatives she has a canny knack of failing upwards. As long as she can keep her profile in the public domain, people are under the impression she is achieving outcomes. She is not. Better not mention the failed Victory Energy fiasco when she was in charge of Portsmouth council, or the publicity stunt of hiring a plane to fly a banner ‘to get Brexit done!’. I wonder how that worked out?
So there really are no depths of self-agrandisement and empire-building to which this woman will not sink.