Different sides of County Hall’s political divide have given their verdict on Isle of Wight local elections going ahead in May after a year’s delay.
Alliance council leader Phil Jordan and Conservative, Empowering Islanders, Reform UK and Labour councillors issued statements following local government secretary Steve Reed’s announcement.
Mr Reed told the House of Commons 29 council elections will be postponed as part of the government’s plan to reorganise English local authorities.
He confirmed however, that Islanders will go to the polls on 7th May.
Councillor Bill Nigh, Reform UK group leader, has said:
“As we all know local election cancellations needed to be applied for by the councils listed in the ‘invitation’ from the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
“Here on the Isle of Wight we were all agreed no such application would be made. We also felt it necessary to double down on that and make our feelings clear about this attack on that democratic process.
“It is a pity that many other local authorities did not follow our lead.”
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Councillor Phil Jordan has said:
“I am pleased that government have responded positively to my letter to the Minister that called unequivocally for elections to go ahead.
“I fully support the democratic process and understand Islanders must have their say on who represents them through that democratic process.
“I will continue to fight hard for our Island, make our case for fairer funding and make certain our voice and aspirations are heard loudly in Westminster.
“Our elections are vital for us as councillors to continue that work with confidence and support of the community.”
Meanwhile, Councillor Ed Blake, leader of the Conservative group, said:
“The government have finally given clarity as to whether they will allow Isle of Wight Council elections to go ahead this May.
“Last year, they were delayed at the request of the Independent and Green Alliance cabinet to allow priority status on the devolution programme; something we now learn is to be delayed until at least 2028.
“Isle of Wight residents’ democratic right to vote was taken away for nothing.
“This is something that we as a Conservative group warned about a year ago; from our sources, we knew that government did not have the capacity to complete such a huge national scale task within a year.
“The leader, Cllr Phil Jordan, insisted that was not the case and even joked about our assertion.”
Cllr Blake said that with government plans to “substantially” cut our settlement, including removal of a £4m extra subsidy agreed by the previous Conservative government, the council’s very existence is brought into question.
Councillor Chris Jarman, who leads the Empowering Islanders group, has said:
“Empowering Islanders group objected on 1st May, 2024, to the proposed delay of the May 2025 elections, introducing in full council our statement that “democracy delayed is democracy denied”.
“Our position has since been vindicated and the rationale for delay proved false.
“In like manner, Empowering Islanders group restated our statement and objection when delays to the 2026 elections were first muted.
“We have strenuously pursued that belief on behalf of our residents and to protect their democratic rights.
“We are pleased that our objection to delay was gradually echoed and amplified by others to secure a definite rejection to government.”
He added that whilst the delay in democratic process should never have been promoted by the government, his group is satisfied that they have “finally accepted the desire of residents to exercise their democratic right”.
Labour councillor and MP for Isle of Wight West Richard Quigley added:
“I’m really pleased that our local elections are going ahead. I along with the council leader made it very clear that we saw no reason to postpone them, so I’m pleased the government have listened.”
And reassuringly they voted themselves a payrise.
Anyone ever pay attention to the works of Mr George Orwell?
1984 was a great year!
They do not get paid they have expenses
Elections should be every 4 years regardless. No discussion needed.
we don’t need lame excuses from local and national leaders which insult our intelligence. If you can’t work with the democratic system get out of governing.
My thoughts exactly.
For years our own Governments have been
telling us about other countries who are not
democratic, what is Britain!
They should never forget it is US who pay their
wages.
We must take this opportunity to punish Liebor and show we are outraged by their decision making since getting into power. Quigely must be the first and very last Liebor MP for the Isle of Wight ever. General election now.
VOTE now you’ve got it please use it