The East Wight Primary (EWP) initiative, launched in November 2023, has been gaining momentum on the Isle of Wight.
The grassroots group plan to help elect a progressive MP for the new East Wight constituency at the next general election. The aim is for series of Q&A sessions where voters can ask questions of the three progressive candidates (Green, Labour and Liberal Democrat) and vote for whichever they think is best placed to win the seat. At the end of the process, votes will be totted up and a winner announced, who will be declared the ‘People’s Champion’.
News OnTheWight has approached all the main parties on the Isle of Wight, including the Conservatives to hear their views about the initiative.
Conservative: Tactical games and political maneuverings
Joe Robertson, the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Conservatives in the Isle of Wight, said,
“It doesn’t seem ‘progressive’ or good for democracy to be trying to reduce voter choice at the next General Election. I agree that Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party amount to pretty much the same thing, but while this project is looking inwards and trying to discourage candidates from standing for election, I am out on the doorstep speaking with fellow Islanders about the issues that really matter like improving community healthcare, supporting local schools and promoting business and jobs.
“That’s what East Wight residents want to be talking about, not tactical games and political maneuverings from a project which started on the mainland.”
Labour Party: We’ve had a productive dialogue
Philip Attfield Secretary, Isle of Wight Labour Party, told News OnTheWight that they shared similar aims to the EWP initiative and had already been in discussions with Julie and Charity,
“We’ve had a productive dialogue with Charity and Julie from the East Wight Primary team identifying topics of shared concern.
“We hope to coordinate messaging on Postal Votes and nearer the general election Voter ID requirements. Island Labour and the Primary team share a desire to see democracy working on the Island, and the first and most important step towards that is to encourage people to use their vote.
“From this month until whenever the GE is called Island Labour will be listening to Islanders and offering the chance to elect not one, but two MPs for the Island who will collaborate for the benefit of Islanders. Hopefully Labour will form the next government and Islanders can choose to have two MPs who will work for them and with a Labour government.
“Island Labour shares with the Primary initiative the democratic aim of ensuring all voters can vote at the general election for the party that they trust to represent them and offer solutions to the issues that concern them.”
LibDem: Unrepresentative of the views of the wider electorate
Andrew Garratt, chair of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrat Party, told News OnTheWight,
“Any initiative that encourages engagement with the political process and elections is welcome.
“My concern, which I expressed to the organisers when they asked to meet with me last year, is that the initiative is unlikely to produce a result that is representative of the views of the wider electorate. It also seems to take a view that people see the non-Conservative alternatives as equally acceptable, when it is very likely that different parties would appeal to former Conservative supporters to a greater or lesser extent.
“A better indication of the mood of the electorate is real votes in ballot boxes.
“In the last eighteen months there have been three by-elections for Isle of Wight council. The Liberal Democrats have gained two seats (including one from the Conservatives). The Conservatives hung on to one. Of course, there are other things to keep in mind when looking at these results, for example lower turnouts.
“But as these results are from people choosing how to mark their ballot paper, this is good evidence that the Liberal Democrats are well placed to win support from electors, including many who have previously voted Conservative.”
Green: We know the inequity of First Past the Post much more than any other party
Vix Lowthion, Chair of the Isle of Wight Green Party, told News OnTheWight,
“Green party supporters — as long-time champions of a proportional electoral system — completely understand the frustration with the First Past the Post system.
“For the last three general elections, Greens have won over half a million votes nationally every time, but have only ever received a single MP in return. We know the inequity of FPTP much more than any other party in the UK. Having previously entered into progressive alliances to try and overcome this democratic deficit we’re always open to engage with ways to tackle voter apathy.
“I have been working as the Green Party Parliamentary candidate for Isle of Wight East for nearly a year now, and have spoken with residents on the streets in towns and villages across the constituency about their concerns and plans for the future. This builds on my years of campaigning work on the Island and my national role as the Green Party Education spokesperson since 2016. I know that this seat is a rare opportunity for a Green Party MP to be elected to Westminster.
“Throughout the last few months I’ve kept in regular contact with the East Wight Primary team (who are campaigning tirelessly!) and I keep finding out more details about how the meetings, voting and activities around this unique opportunity will work in reality. The Isle of Wight Green Party invited the Primary organisers to meet and consult with our members in November, which was a lively meeting, and we voiced a full range of views.
“I am listening to the views of constituents, my election team and others in taking the next steps in preparation for the General Election – and the proposed East Wight Primary is a part of this. I’ll keep you updated via my new website. In the meantime I will be putting the dates of the Primary Q&As in my diary, and I look forward to seeing who the other parties decide to put forward to join me as a candidate to be the new MP for this new constituency.”
Reform UK: Very disappointed
Sarah Morris, the Reform UK candidate for Isle of Wight East, expressed her disappointment at not being included in the initiative. She told News OnTheWight,
“I contacted both of the organisers, I emailed, messaged, I spent quite a lot of time trying to get messages through to them and in the end I started commenting on their social media posts just so that I got a response.
“They wouldn’t let me be part of it. I am very, very disappointed that they decided that I am too right wing, they’ve never spoken to me but because I am standing for Reform, I am too right wing for them and I am not progressive enough.
She went on to say,
“I’m not even going to get the chance to put my side across, let them get to know me. I like the idea of getting behind and trying to encourage more people to be involved in politics and to get more people out to vote, but by excluding Reform … we’re polling higher than LibDems and Greens, but no, we’re too right wing and not allowed to be involved unfortunately.
“I would like to be but was denied.”
Charity and Julie did explain during their interview with News OnTheWight at the end of 2023, that they didn’t feel the policies declared by Reform UK — particularly on climate change — were progressive enough to be included.
