Cllr Julia Baker-Smith shares this latest news. Ed
The Leader of the Island Independent Group has called upon the Island’s progressive parties to stand a single, democratically selected candidate against Andrew Turner at the General Election.
In 2015 the majority of Island voters rejected Andrew Turner as their MP, yet, the first past the post electoral system resulted in the MP being returned with just 40.67% of the vote, with the rest split among the other five candidates. Nearly 60% of Islanders did not vote Conservative.
Cllr Julia Baker-Smith said,
“It is time to put people before politics. This is an opportunity to give Islanders a single, strong alternative choice to the Conservatives. Island services need to be protected and the Island needs strong, vocal representation in Parliament. It is unacceptable that we have an MP that the majority of people didn’t want, and didn’t vote for.
“Andrew Turner’s voting record is abysmal. He has consistently voted to cut the local government support grant to the Island, this year voting to cut our funding by 44%. Turner has consistently voted against laws to promote equality and human rights, and helping our most vulnerable, people are suffering as a result.
I have written today to the leaders of other parties on the Island urging them to hold an urgent primary among their members to select a single candidate who the 60% of Islanders that wanted an end to Conservative control can jointly rally behind. I very much hope they are able to work together to put Islanders first, we need an end to the Conservative’s austerity and damaging policies on the Island.”
