News OnTheWight always welcomes a Letter to the Editor to share with our readers – unsurprisingly they don’t always reflect the views of this publication. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch and of course, your considered comments are welcome below.
This from Cllr Richard Quigley, IW Labour Chair. Ed
When reading Bob Seely MP’s reply to Raye Peterson‘s Letter to the Editor, in which Mr Peterson quite rightly asked backbench MPs such as ours, to start delivering for their communities, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
His claims of increased funding are akin to fitting wing mirrors to a rocket and claiming to have improved the safety of space travel.
Give with one hand, take away with the other
Firstly, it is good to see Bob Seely MP admit that having a Conservative MP from 2001 to now has left the Island in a state of huge underfunding.
The money awarded to St Mary’s hospital will be used to build onsite accommodation, which is a good thing, but with his other hand he votes to take money away from frontline NHS services and votes with his government to reduce local authority funding (nearly £90m since his Conservative government were elected) meaning adult social care is now in the most perilous state it has been in for many years.
Officers’ work ignored
Secondly, his claim that he has ensured the government recognises it costs more to provide services on an Island is a little disingenuous to the previous Chief Executive John Metcalfe and his team, who put in hundreds of hours of work over the last few years to provide the required evidence, over and over again.
They proved that it costs a minimum of £10m and as much as £60m more to provide the same services as a mainland authority. Bob Seely MP was claiming he had secured an Island deal from PM Johnson of approx. £2.7m. That never arrived either.
VAT cut claims
Thirdly, his claim to be partly responsible for the VAT cut for tourism businesses lacks substance.
A welcome measure at the time, that would be even more welcome now during the current cost of living crisis, but it has been withdrawn.
His scepticism to how the government responded to data from scientists and subsequent lockdowns is frankly odd at this moment in time.
Freeports ‘a legalised way of diminishing employment rights and standards’
Fourthly, there is no clear benefit outlined from the Island being part of the Solent Freeport area as we do not qualify for full Freeport status.
Freeports themselves are not the one shot panacea he and his government claim them to be, just a legalised way of diminishing employment rights and standards. Just look at P&O ferries and their parent company DP World.
Housing soundbite
His point on housing is a lovely soundbite, but he and his Conservative colleagues in the council are against supporting a mechanism that would get affordable and council housing built here, instead, leaving it to developers to decide what properties we end up with.
What residents are saying
My council email inbox and people that stop in the street are telling me the same story, they are scared about keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table.
If Bob Seely MP was really serious about delivering for his community, rather than garner publicity for himself by supporting foodbanks and food pantries (well done to all those involved) he would vote in a way that eliminates the need for people to use them.
I trust that this reinforces Mr Peterson’s concerns and I look forward to working with those of you that believe we deserve better.
