The Solent Devolution Deal is now “dead in the water” after it was reported that Conservatives said they wanted “nothing to do with” Portsmouth and Southampton.
The Island Independent group of councillors issued a statement in response to the news.
It contains explosive allegations stating that “it’s thought” the “Island’s Conservatives are due to attend a meeting to consider a merger between the Isle of Wight and Hampshire”.
Leader: “No plans”
Leader of the Isle of Wight council, Cllr Stewart told OnTheWight,
“If it helps, there are no plans for any merger with Hampshire that I am aware of.”
Claim: Isle of Wight could “lose its sovereignty”
They go on to say this “would effectively see the Isle of Wight lose its sovereignty and become part of Hampshire”.
Adding,
“The question as what the Island Conservative’s Plan B is, if any, and whether they had always planned a merger with Hampshire is now on everyone’s lips.”
OnTheWight has put a number of questions to the Leader, of the Isle of Wight Conservative councillors, Dave Stewart, he updated with the few words above.
Image: farhannasir under CC BY 2.0
