Joe Robertson MP has accused officials of attempting to restrict what can be discussed at forthcoming cross-Solent ferry meetings, telling ministers in Parliament he will not be told how to represent Isle of Wight residents.
The exchange came on Parliament’s final sitting day before the Summer recess, ahead of a series of monthly meetings due to begin in September aimed at finding locally led solutions to the Island’s long-running ferry issues.
The meetings were promised by the Department for Transport following a ministerial visit to Cowes in April last year.
Brian Johnson, formerly of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, has been appointed to chair the discussions, which will include representatives from Wightlink, Red Funnel and Hovertravel, both Isle of Wight MPs, Isle of Wight Council leader Jonathan Bacon and a representative from the Solent Transport Users Group.
Mr Robertson said he had received a letter – not from maritime minister Keir Mather – which sought to limit the topics that could be discussed, including preventing the submission of evidence relating to ferry ticket prices and reliability from more than 10 years ago.
Questioning the minister in the House of Commons, the East Wight MP said:
“I thank the Minister for pausing the MCA’s brutal decision about coastguard rescue officers, and for convening meetings on cross-Solent ferry transport to the Isle of Wight, which will start next month.
“It is of some concern, however, that I have received a letter – not from him – telling me certain things that I was not allowed to discuss, including evidence of ticketing and reliability going back more than 10 years. I am sure he understands that the world did not start in 2016, and I will not be told by anyone how to best represent my constituents, or what I can or cannot say.”
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Responding, Mr Mather said:
“The hon. Gentleman of course knows best how to represent his constituents on these important matters.
“I believe that the dynamic he is pointing to is the dynamic of when dynamic pricing was introduced prior to 2010, and the need to be able to compare and contrast the impact of that on pricing. Evidence about that is of course important, and I hope it is factored into the ongoing work.”
The round table meetings are scheduled to continue throughout the remainder of 2026, with their findings to be presented to the maritime minister for further consideration.
