Reform UK Councillor Reuben Loake, who has ousted former Isle of Wight Council leader Phil Jordan in the Ryde North West ward, says his work in the constituency ‘starts immediately’.
The local businessman, who lives in the ward and runs the successful isleofwightjobs.com website, secured a total of 401 votes.
Reuben, who admitted feeling a little ‘nervous’ before the count began, finished ahead of Green Party candidate Peter Burke (339), Independent Phil Jordan (255) and Conservative Lou Temel (172).
On a good day for Reform UK, despite the fact that they narrowly missed out on full council control by a single seat, Loake’s victory was one of the most notable.
Speaking to Island Echo at the count yesterday afternoon (Friday), Councillor Loake said:
“This isn’t about personalities or leaders, it’s about getting things done that need to be done in Ryde North West.
“I’ve already got meeting’s setup for Monday. There are some enormous challenges in Ryde but also enormous opportunity with things like Ryde Town Board and the money awarded to the town but I have made it clear that I’m not too happy with how that money is being spent.
“I can ensure residents that meetings will be taking place first thing next week. We will be transparent throughout the whole process, there won’t be anything held behind closed doors. I want to make sure that the people of Ryde North West have a say as well as updates on what I’m doing day to day.”
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When asked how having 19 Reform UK councillors at County Hall will benefit the party and the Island as a whole, Cllr Loake said:
“We can get stuff done. If you get a majority or just shy, you can get stuff done. The council faces huge challenges financially and we can’t spend weeks or months working out a new plan, we need to get together quickly and come up with our key points and what we want to deliver, which we have done, and that work starts immediately.”
Deport any illegals that have been “housed” on the island, cut all support for any illegal immigrant programs, cut the bloated adult social care schemes that are full of freeloaders, cut taxes, cut business taxes and cut red tape
Better still why not deport the uneducated r acists
There is no place in the world for such people in 2026
Which part of Joe’s earlier comment is racist,
First priority would be to get low life and feral brats off the streets, along with junkies and drunks, paedos and drug dealers poisoning the town, and ban electric bikes and scooters riding on the pavement, and roaring boy racers and illegal motor bikes riding round and round the Esplanade all day and night
Well said.
Get rid of the dreadful Interchange, so annoying
for persons arriving having to walk miles for a taxi.
Taxis should be nearer to the station.
As far as I’m aware, there has already been a public consultation about the money awarded to Ryde. Will Councillor Loake “not being happy” take precedence over that?
It will be interesting to know –
a) how many people work full time, ie 5 days a week, at the IWC
b) how many people employed by the IWC work from home, work part time, live off island, and where they live off island .
c) how many empty offices there are at county hall.
d) how much has been spent, and how much it currently costs, to provide staff with home office equipment, furniture, internet, telephone costs etc.
Will Reform tell us?
How many new councillors were paper candidates?
How many will be pushed over the benefit threshold now they get a councillor salary?
How many have vile personal backgrounds like the new reform councillor in sunderland who used his kid to stub out his cigarettes and beat up his girlfriend?