Joe Robertson, MP for Isle of Wight East, has set out ‘five red lines’ for the ongoing negotiations for a directly elected mayor covering the Isle of Wight.
In a letter written to Local Government Minister, Jim McMahon MP, Mr Robertson has set out key demands which he says are in the overwhelming interests of the Island, including powers over the cross-Solent ferry operators and ring-fenced funding for the Island which cannot be ‘raided’ by Hampshire.
The Island’s unique challenges as the only 2 constituencies in England separated by sea must be recognised in the final deal, which should be put to the Island public for a vote, the MP says.
Joe has opposed the Government’s plans for a council merger and a combined mayor with Hampshire since they were first announced, and following a demonstration outside County Hall on 22nd February, the 4 council leaders wrote to the Government asking for the Isle of Wight Council to remain a standalone authority. However, the local elections due on 1st May will not take place until at least 2026, and the councils are pressing ahead with plans for a combined mayor who will represent a patch where the Island population will form only 7%
In his letter to Mr McMahon, Mr Robertson says his red lines are based on his own survey of over 1,600 residents. In addition to powers over the ferries and ringfenced funds, Mr Robertson says that the Island should be negotiating for its own mayor, independent of Hampshire, and the final proposal should be put to a vote of Islanders who should have the final say whether they want a mayor when they have seen the final deal on the table.
Joe Robertson MP has said:
“I am asking the local authority leaders, including the Isle of Wight Council Leader, to negotiate hard with the Government and not simply accept an off-the-shelf offer that does not work for the Island.
“This is the moment to make the case for the unique challenges we face as an English island in the strongest possible terms, so that we can have substantial, ring-fenced funds for the long term which cannot be raided by Hampshire.
Article continues below this advertisement “If we don’t secure a fair arrangement for the Island while we still have the power to block the Government’s plans for a mayor, we will have squandered an opportunity and once again find ourselves being “done to”. Now is the time to show strength in negotiations not weakness.”
The first two, as he well knows, are already in the pipeline. He put a question to the Transport minister last week about the ferries situation and was told, sorry, Quigley beat you to it by two weeks, it’s in hand. Meetings have already been arranged between him, Transport, and Maritime ministers with the view of regulation, stability and consistency.
The ring fencing is also already in hand because we have applied for special considerations within the devolution agreement, and as a part on a collective we are likely to get MORE money, not less.
His ‘poll’ of residents is pot stirring for those who choose not to look at all sources for news, leading to the above picture which could easily be entitled ‘Tories against progress for all’.
Conservatism means keeping the status quo…keeping things the same. It benefits the rich as they remain rich. It also means keeping the poor, poor.
Labour are doing a better job than the conservatives
keeping people poorer and poorer
Even the Conservatives didn’t remove pensioners
winter fuel allowance or attack the disabled persons.
IS THIS NOT PROOF THAT WHICH EVER PARTY IS IN THE
HOT SEAT, THEY ALL DO WHAT THEIR SAME ELITE BOSSES
INSTRUCT THEM TO DO!
REFORM WILL BE NO DIFFERENT, THAT PARTY WAS ONLY
CREATED TO DISTRACT VOTERS AND GIVE FALSE HOPE
THAT THINGS WILL CHANGE!
I AM OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IT IS ALL ONE
BIG PANTOMIME
NOTHING WILL CHANGE
Don’t see Starmer Nazi Party helping out much. Tories in disguise. Devolution is a BAD idea.
No, you don’t, do you? Haven’t noticed that political stability means that policy can be shaped without a regular PM change then? Or that policy change, considering the mess left by the previous incumbents, doesn’t happen overnight with a sprinkling of fairy dust and a magic wand? Not noticed the housebuilding, the money into NHS services, the regulation plans for services?And tell me why you think devolution is a BAD idea. With facts and figures if you can
This Labour Government make the Tories
look like saints, who would have ever thought
that!.
Devolution is the islands only hope.