Island Echo has spoken with Reform UK candidates Sarah Morris (Isle of Wight East) and Ian Pickering (Isle of Wight West) to ask why Island voters should trust them with their votes in the General Election on 4th July… This is the first time Reform UK have stood in any Isle of Wight constituency. In the 2019 General Election, Reform stood down in all Conservative-held seats (including the Island) to ensure Brexit got over the line.
Sarah Morris is contesting Isle of Wight East for Reform UK. Sarah is 43-years-old. She was born (like most of us) at St Mary’s Hospital in Newport and grew up in Ryde. She attended Greenmount Primary, Bishop Lovett Middle and Ryde High schools. Her favourite place on the Island is Shanklin, where she currently lives. She likes the beach and the townspeople, saying it feels good. 
What do you love about Island life and what do you do to relax? I love that it’s an Island, which means that it’s safer slower and more laid back. It also has beaches, forests and a lot of history. To relax, I walk with my dog, dance at the Heights, swim in the sea, run, go metal detecting and do some gardening. If your party didn’t exist who would be getting your vote? I’d vote for David Groocock in Isle of Wight East. Nationally, I’d only vote Reform or Independent. Why have you decided to stand for MP? Because I felt let down by politicians, that there was no-one to vote for and that nobody was speaking for me. I wouldn’t vote Conservative because they are not ‘conservative’ any more. Labour aren’t ‘labour’ either. Why did you join your party? Reform are the only party offering something different. We shall look after working people by putting more money in our pockets and making us less dependent on the state. Also, Reform puts our country’s interests above those of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Economic Forum (WEF). What do you think is the biggest concern facing the Island and its residents? We need change with the ferries and the NHS. The biggest problem is the status quo. Nothing works, nothing changes and nothing gets done. We cannot carry on as we are. Why should Island Echo readers put their faith in Sarah Morris and Reform UK on Polling Day? I’m not a politician. I’m doing this to try and make a difference. I won’t be bought. I won’t give away our freedoms. I shall always do what’s best for the Island and Islanders. Finally, can you win in Isle of Wight East? Absolutely. The Brexit vote showed there is a lot of support for a party like Reform here. The reaction on the street has been amazing. I think the betting companies may be losing some money come 4th July.
Ian Pickering is a retired special needs teacher, who moved to Freshwater 3 years ago. Before becoming a permanent resident, he had holidayed here for 30 years. His favourite spot on the Island is just off the coast of Bouldnor, where he can sit on his small boat and fish. 
What do you love about Island life and what do you do to relax? Fishing, both from the beach and from a boat. I brew my own beer (and enjoy drinking it!). I also like observing the Island’s flora and fauna. I do a bit of voluntary work and play the guitar. Why have you decided to stand for MP? Boris Johnson promised to get our fishing back but failed. This made me very angry, I thought ‘enough was enough’ and decided to stand. Our fish stocks need to be protected. As a maritime nation we should have control of what goes on in our coastal waters. If your party didn’t exist who would be getting your vote? I wouldn’t vote. There isn’t another party that ticks enough boxes. What are the main issues facing the Island that need to be addressed? Ferries, health and dentists. The cost of the ferries can be excruciating. We have no National Health dental representation. There’s no easy fix, but it’s something that needs to be fixed, and we can do this by spending money. If 80% of our children are going into hospital with teeth problems, it’s clear that there’s a problem. Is there any issue facing Islanders that is of particular interest to you? Household debt is something that really needs to be looked at in depth. We need to teach children household management skills and how to cook. Why did you join your party? Reform ticked just about every single box. It was plain, common sense politics to get us out of the situation we are in at the moment. How do you feel about Reform’s upward trajectory during the election campaign? The party is on the up because of what the Tories have done to themselves. They’ve broken Britain. Every time Rishi Sunak opens his mouth, someone converts to Reform. Are you feeling confident? Initially, I thought I wanted to give the Tories a bloody nose. Now, we are in front of the Tories, and I’m going to be a bit disappointed if we don’t win here. Who is your biggest rival? I think the national swing will be reflected here. Therefore, my biggest rival is Richard Quigley. Why should Island Echo readers put their faith in Ian Pickering and Reform UK on Polling Day? Because we need change, not just on the Island but nationally. We need to divert money from management in the NHS and into frontline care. We need to look at how the finances are organised and spend money more wisely, based on common sense.
Wow, At long last!!! 3 or 4 hours before people go to bed before election day you finally feature a Reform UK meet the candidates section.
Tactical Island Echo???
VOTE REFORM.
Might have voted Reform if there had been any sightings out our way, or anything at all!
Reform are the only ones that will sink the ferries, we need to stop the overners with any means necessary!
Overners have the right to live anywhere in the UK. There is nothing special about the IOW. it’s just another part of the UK except poorer of course. That’s why we call it the poor cousin to the mainland.
Always leave the sexiest till last.
Good grief, you think she’s sexy? Apart from anything else she represents a border line Fascist party
IE is home to a load of screaming lefties especially the comments section, I too shall be voting reform.
Let’s make this happen!
Not obvious is it ?? Transparency – Impartially rules
Only a Racist would vote Reform, it will be interesting to see
how many racists vote Reform.
Voting Deform means no more NHS and if you think that stopping illegal immigration will be the end to all of our countries woes, you show you are very short sighted and have little understanding of how politics actually works.
Beware. Don’t vote Deform!
Idiot, do you read anything apart from your usual rubbish that spews from your qwerty fingertips. Reform get my vote, never will vote tory and labour are just so wishy washy, greens are just, well, green.
Your name sums you & reform up beautifully
They get my Vote This country needs to change
Only a Racist would vote Reform, it will be interesting to see
how many racists vote Reform.
Ii is no exaggeration to say that if people in the UK don’t vote for Reform, future generations will be paying one hell of a price for their naivety.
Just think for a moment, and understand what having daily arrivals in their hundreds which otherwise will continue forever, will mean for your children’s futures
Even perfectly decent ones take a home, take more of our diminishing countryside, add to our overcrowding, landfill, energy consumption, doctors, dentists and hospitals waiting time , education costs, and many are not decent & we will pay a worse price for having them here
Vote Reform IF you care about your family and your country.
Exactly, I’ll be voting Reform because brown people scare me.
Don’t be frightened… we are all pink inside.
Only a Racist would vote Reform, it will be interesting to see
how many racists vote Reform.
Racist, biggotted, blinkered, small minded & typical Reform view straight out of the Mail
Interesting that your views align with other people who know nothing about Reform, the candidates, or indeed the actual voters. As usual you are quick to tar everyone with the same brush, be interesting if we all did that with the other parties and their own racist issues so are you a racist like Diane Abbott or more of an islamophobe like the tories??
you can’t say that anymore, any paper can be gender neutral according to your lot!
Typical Leftist remarks when they can’t win an argument.
Really, well I personally questioned Diane Abbott last year about racism and the fact that TV commercials portray the majority of British families as mixed or full ethnic people. Her answer was that the commercials were accurate. Her answer proved that the Labour Party are in fact racist, but racist against the UK indigenous people.
The same uneducated idiots who voted Brexit
will be voting Reform
Since Brexit we have been flooded with Migrants
Brexit didn’t work, and Reform are a joke,
they have no policy’s, they just have racist thoughts.
Vote Labour
Brexit didn’t work only because the tories botched it up actually. Seems you’re the same ilk as qwerty king, you can’t read either.
What absolute rubbish. Brexit was always a lie & unworkable. After a recent visit to Spain I couldn’t believe how far behind we are, virtually everything is cheaper, fantastic roads, cheap public transport & the health system so, so much better, I can vouch for that as my visit was spent mainly seeing a friend having cancer treatment . From diagnosis to treatment was 10 days, not weeks or months as it is in the UK.
Blame the tories, NOT brexit, and if it is better there, move there then. 14 years of tory mess ups has caused all of the problems, they are and always will be out of touch, especially with a leader with £652 million in the bank.
How defeatist. Wouldn’t you rather bring UK up to international standards?
Huge unemployment, and an economy dependant on tourists from Britain.
Why don’t you piss off and stay out there then? You already have the name for it.
Paul’s scared of flying
Benidorm? Actually Heath took us into the EU illegally, we finally won the referendum to leave, hence Cameron resigned. The Conservative party screwed Brexit up intentionally to save face plus the other parties voted for every EU Law thrown at us. As for Spain visit Madrid and other towns to see the refugee crisis yourself.
Racist thoughts!!! Says the Labour voter that obviously decides to back a political party packed chocka block full of anti-Semitic views only a few years ago.
You are without doubt an uneducated idiot. Hitler didn’t like the Jews either so you’re in good company.
Probably uncontrollably dribbling onto your keyboard right now as you mutter another bs comment to yourself.
Starmers wife is Jewish.
Explain Diane Abbott and her anti-white rhetoric.
Diane Abbott said that black people experience more racism than people from other ethnic groups. That is all and it may be true. The “antisemitic element of the Labour party” described themselves as anti-Israel and pro-Palestine because they supported the underdog, rather than being racist antisemites (Palestinians are also “semites”, although the term is now outdated, and thus the accusation is nonsense).
Very disappointing Island Echo, all candidates/ parties bids/ interviews should have been released at the same time and date. Its almost as though your editors are trying to put Reform at a disadvantage with only hours to go until polling, surely that can’t be fair?
Reform plan to take away your benefits, scrap inheritance tax to make the rich even richer, privatise healthcare, and slash taxes for the already rich (not you or me). They are rich people telling you anything to get your vote. Don’t fall for it. They are Tories in disguise.
The rich dont pay inheritance tax anyway, so its evening the playing field.
Well, if reform are going to get all those who live off benefits and never do a day’s work in their miserable lives off their lazy backsides, they certainly have my vote!
I used to be fairly well acquainted with this person. We would regularly attend parties/ evenings held by a mutual friend.
She would always take the opportunity to expouse her belief that the Earth was flat , there was no such thing as viruses and immunisation was a con. I’d not tryst her rather than I could comfortably spit out a rat!
And if she takes issue with this comment: Lyndon.
She will know what that means.
She is well known for believing every conspiracy nut on the Internet. Not got much upstairs.
Personally I will be voting for Labour, time for change.
Labour are the only party to save the struggling National Health Service,
also they are the only party to help those families who have been
struggling since the pandemic and now rely on benefits.
Think carefully before ticking the box.
It’s Labour for me, things can only get better.
Good grief, I didn’t realise that there were still people as blind, misguided and downright thick as you! You shouldn’t be allowed out by yourself.
Don’t forget if you want a better future for your children and their
children – Vote Labour
The Founders of the N.H.S
Only political party to have also sold off a NHS hospital….Labour.
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