From huge winning margins to nail-biting 1-vote victories, the 2026 Isle of Wight local elections produced no shortage of talking points.
Some 39 seats make up the local authority that is the Isle of Wight Council, with Conservatives picking up just 2 this time out, compared to the 19 that Reform UK secured. The Independents did well to secure 11 seats, the Liberal Democrats picked up 4 seats, Conservatives 2 and the Greens 2. Labour secured just 1 seat.
The total number of votes accepted this year was 48,093 — Reform UK secured 15,340, Independents 10,051, Conservatives 9,040, Green 6,031, Liberal Democrat 4,060, Labour 1,840, Island Independent Network 1,549 and Vectis Party 182.
Joining the Isle of Wight Council for the first time are a total of 22 new candidates, including Mark Rochelle (Lib Dem), Vix Lothian (Green), James Whelan (Reform), Jock Rafferty (Lab), Gordon Adam (Reform), Debbie Conlin (Reform), Les Kirkby (Reform), Ros Freeman (Reform), Richard Quinn (Reform), Julia Hayward (Ind), Tony Barry (Reform), Frank Brown (Reform), Paul Williams (Reform), Martin Bower (Reform), Reuben Loake (Reform), Chris Way (Reform), Ian Potter (Reform), Robert Newton (Reform), Frank Baldry (Reform), Stephen Reynolds (Reform), David Llewellyn (Reform) and Tony Raffe (Reform).
The 5 candidates receiving the highest individual vote are:
- Paul Fuller (Ind) – 1,173
- Becca Cameron (Ind) – 913
- Ian Dore (Ind) – 894
- Karl Love (Ind) – 876
- Claire Critchinson (Green) – 822
The 5 candidates receiving the fewest votes:
- Jessica Higgins (Island Independent Network) – 12
- Rachel Thacler (Ind) – 20
- Elisa Williams (Ind) – 20
- Eric Gray (Lib Dem) 27
- Andy Clayton (Con) – 30
In some wards, the race between candidates was very close, and in others, not so much.
The 5 closest finishes:
- Shanklin Central – 1 vote between Stephen Reynolds (Reform) and Michael Beston (Con)
- Freshwater North & Yarmouth – 17 votes between Debbie Conlin (Reform) and David Whistance (Ind)
- Cowes South & Northwood – 30 votes between Gordon Adam (Reform) and John Nicholson (Con)
- Pan & Barton – 31 votes between Martin Bower (Reform) and Stephen Reading (Lab)
- Ryde Monktonmead – 50 votes between Karen Lucioni (IIN) and Chris Brown (Reform)
The 5 biggest winning margins:
- Cowes West and Gurnard – 898 votes – between Paul Fuller (Ind) and Sue Whitewood (Reform)
- Freshwater South – 518 votes – between Becca Cameron (Ind) and Ian Pickering (Reform)
- East Cowes – 516 votes – between Karl Love (Ind) and Mark Stone (Reform)
- Totland & Colwell – 375 votes – between Chris Jarman (Ind) and Tom Bignell (Reform)
- Chale, Niton & Shorwell – 316 votes – between Claire Critchinson (Green) and Mark Nigh (Reform)
The highest turnout in any one ward was Brighstone, Calbourne & Shalfleet with 55.68%. The lowest turnout witnessed was Pan & Barton with 26%.
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.
What amazed me this time around is that everyone I know has a loud opinion on recent political shenanigans yet most areas had less than 50% turn out. A lot of lazy people out there or just disillusionment?
I think that it can be safely stated that Kemi Bad enough is totally deluded when she says that Conservatives are bouncing/coming back.
It is clear both from the national results and here that the Tory Party is finished.
14 years of lies, broken promises with Johnson in particular, resulted in the electorate, rather than vote for them again, deciding to commit economic suicide, which is what you get with socialism.
Yet they were prepared to do that to get rid of the Tories. Unsurprising!
The above pie-dot chart lumps the last two Tories standing with Reform.
They should be placed on the other side where they belong.
Bad enough believes that the public are so stupid they will forget that SHE was an integral part of the previous Tory administration, but now she wants to “do the right thing”.
Too late. It will be goodbye to Robertson next time and he knows it.
I would not be surprised to see some of the “Conservative Club” premises put up for sale – and good riddance!
“Bad enough believes that the public are so stupid they will forget that SHE was an integral part of the previous Tory administration”
as were the majority of Reform MPs and senior figures within the reform party,
It is funny that one can recognise a Reformer just by
looking at them.
Strange but true.
Lol