Island Echo is diving into the history of elections on the Isle of Wight as Islanders prepare to go to the polls on Thursday for what is not only set to be a historic election, but potentially a very interesting one too. The Island is now split into 2 constituencies: Isle of Wight East and Isle of Wight West. But it was way back in 1832 that Isle of Wight first became a constituency of its own. Prior to this, it had been represented by 6 MPs from the rotten boroughs of Newport, Yarmouth and Newtown. Traditionally, the Island has been hotly contested between the Conservatives and Liberals – formerly Whigs. It has returned 9 Liberal members and 11 Tories. 1 former MP – John (Jack) Seely, great-great uncle of Bob Seely – was elected both as a Liberal and as a Conservative. Elections on the Island were sometimes riotous affairs. In 1851, voting day at a by-election saw 12 people arrested, a police station attacked and 1 person killed in Ryde. The election results were frequently on a knife-edge, with majorities of less than 100. For example, 150 years ago – in the 1874 General Election – Conservative Alexander Baillie-Cochrane triumphed over Liberal Evelyn Ashley by just 9 votes. Further anniversaries are of great significance for Isle of Wight politics. 100 years ago – in 1924 – John Seely (Liberal) was trounced by Peter MacDonald (Conservative), losing by over 5,000 votes. 
50 years ago – in 1974 – Liberal Steven Ross ended half-a-century of Tory dominance on the Island by first beating Mark Woodnutt in February of that year and repeating his success against Dudley Fishburn in a second election in October. Labour’s highest vote in the 20th century came in 1945 when William Miller garnered 1,942 votes – 40.7% of the total – losing to Conservative Peter MacDonald by 2,784 votes. The 6 elections in the present century have all been won by the Conservatives – by ever-increasing margins. But many think Labour could finally clinch an Isle of Wight seat in next week’s election… In 2001, Andrew Turner (Conservative) scraped past incumbent Peter Brand (Liberal Democrat) with a majority of just 2,826. In 2005, Turner increased his majority to 12,978 by seeing off another Liberal Anthony Rowlands and in 2010, Andrew’s majority went down to 10,527 in a field of 11, including 3 independents. 2015 saw Turner boost his majority further, beating UKIP’s Iain McKie by 13,703 votes. That election saw the Greens take 3rd place with the Lib Dems slumping to 5th. 
In 2017, Bob Seely went in to bat for the Conservatives for the first time, increasing the Tory vote by almost 10,000 to 38,190 – 51.3% of all votes cast. Labour’s Julian Critchley came 2nd with a vote share of 23% – the first time in over half a century that Labour had been the main challenger. The Lib Dems slumped to 4th place, behind the Greens. 
The last time the Isle of Wight constituency was contested in a General Election saw Seely increase his vote further – from 38,190 to 41,815 (56.2%). His main challenger was Richard Quigley (Labour), who persuaded 18,078 voters to put an ‘X’ beside his name. Vix Lowthion (Green) came 3rd in her 3rd attempt to become the Isle of Wight MP. There was no Lib Dem candidate. 
How will the candidates fare on 4th July? Island Echo will provide an in-depth analysis of the latest betting odds and opinion polling for both of the Isle of Wight constituencies shortly before you cast your vote…
Find out who your local councillor is, how and where to vote and the results of previous elections at www.isleofwight.vote - the Island's new hub for all things related to Local and General Elections, brought to you by Island Echo.
Whilst voting in an MP to address local issues is right and proper, since the UK (and most of Europe) has endured massive amounts of newcomers from third world countries, which share little or nothing in common with us , then this time I feel it may be wiser to vote on that particular problem which is costing and effecting us all.
So Reform seems to be the wise choice now, and I am sure ‘any’ party including them can deal , or handle our local issues with similar outcomes, but we have to control masse immigration before it controls us all
So please vote Reform
Looks like the Deform candidates are dwindling as Nigel realises he has homophobes and racists in the fold. Best not vote for them.
Everything got worse when they gave women the vote. Emotions have no place in politics! Reform is the only option, we need to sink boats and go back to the true order.
Even if you believed Farago’s rantings, a moment’s refelction would show you that his “plans” are pipe-dreams. His give-aways are not funded, his migrant policy assumes that the French (remeber his favourite “success”, Brexit?) will play ball, now even less likely with Le Pen in the ascendancy, and he’s now trying to pretend that he doesn’t want racists and homophobes in his party.
If you really can’t bring yourself to vote for Labour (which I can understand in East Wight), the obvious choice is Green.
Very good article Warren, much more interesting than you banging heads with John Barnes .
I was looking for this information but due to poor intelligence I failed,so well done to you.
Here is my concise personal view of the upcoming vote.
Reform – one trick pony, no in depth policy.
Tory – totally lost the plot self destructed .
Green – love the green but they have lost the plot on LGBT.
Lib Dem – untrustworthy always historically.
Labour – massive bit of history if they win the island! Last time I voted red was Tony Blair, & I’m going red this time because they appear relatively coherent.
but I’m fully expecting to be broke & unemployed in the near future.
Don’t forget to Vote Labour if you want a better future for your children
Don’t believe the Reform Ballsh*t!
Vote Labour. Sadly, it seems that my mob are a bunch of racist, illiterate, homophobic, incompetent fools.
So who were your mob? If you mean Reform, the whole thing was set up by actors, to discredit what Governments fear, the real true feelings of the whole of Europe to our leaders doing nothing to protect, which is their primary reason for being elected, their own people.
We have has countless stabbings, shootings, white children picked out specifically by gangs of non indigenous to rape.
My God, what MORE will it take to make people wake up and vote Reform?
A few pot holes are NOTHING to what cost, what problems such have and will bring to this once proud nation.
Wake up England, vote Reform.
Sorry to shatter your dreams but Farage is also an actor and the whole Reform party stunt is just a gag set up by Dom Joly.