This from Charity Garnett, on behalf of East Wight Primary, issued on Friday 5th July 2024. Ed
The General Election result has given us plenty to reflect on about the need for progressive voters to collaborate and find shared ground, especially given the inexorable rise of politics that seeks to exploit division rather than community.
The results have reinforced our resolve to work positively in the community to engage people in the democratic process.
Gratitude for volunteers
We would like to thank every single one of our volunteers, supporters and donors for their hard work and trust in a primary model has never been tried before.
In the year since we started the East Wight Primary we have been overwhelmed by the public response, with many people feeling engaged in democracy for the first time in their lives.
Vital voter collaboration
When we began the project, we knew that the Conservatives would win the seat without a form of voter collaboration, and that they still could win it even if we got organised.
We were determined that whatever the outcome, we would raise the tone of our local political debate, bringing people together and finding common ground.
Difficult task
We know that finding fair ways for progressive voters to work together within the confines of our voting system is not easy. Tactical voting has achieved amazing things around the country this election as is evident in this morning’s national result, but we didn’t pull it off in East Wight.
We maintain we are not just a subsection of data generated from a computer programme to have recommendations imposed upon us, we are a community, and we can get together to decide for ourselves, by means of hustings, activism and campaigning to put people, policies and personalities into politics over extrapolated predictions.
Incredible amount of support
The surprise summer election meant we only announced the result of our vote two short weeks ago, and it is incredible how much support we have gained.
We want to thank Vix Lowthion, and the Green party team for a great campaign and we wish them well.
Congratulating the winners
We are overjoyed that Richard Quigley has won in the West Wight, and we thank everyone who swapped their votes or lent their votes to help make that happen
We also congratulate Joe Robertson on his win in East Wight, and we hope he will endeavour to represent the needs of all Islanders. And we would like to congratulate the inspirational team at the South Devon Primary who successfully supported Lib Dem Caroline Voaden won, ending 100 years of Conservative rule.
A period of reflection
We will take time to reflect on these events and consider with our new community how to best use our experiences to empower Islanders to make positive local changes working together to encourage civic participation.
“You’ve enabled conversations to be had and a sense of ownership of our political system”
Below is just one of the many wonderful messages from our inbox today.
“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to you all for your tireless work during the past few months for the people of East Wight.
“I’m so sorry that we haven’t got the result that we wanted and that is totally gutting, but the HUGE win of this campaign is the engagement in politics of the disengaged that you’ve managed to achieved.
“That is truly remarkable. I’ve had many conversations with people, particularly young first time voters who wouldn’t have bothered voting if it hadn’t been for East Wight Primary.
“You’ve enabled conversations to be had and a sense of ownership of our political system that I’ve never experienced before.”
Thank you, Charity, Mobes and the many others who have been part of the East Wight Primary team.
