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This from Vix Lowthion, Parliamentary candidate, IW Green Party. Ed
Learning the hundreds of road-signs in a well thumbed paper copy of the Highway Code was a task with little reward: no sooner had you memorised the section of motorway signs, then the next page of arrows pointing indiscriminately westwards would flummox you, chuck it across the bedroom and hope the examiner would ask you something simple like when to indicate.
The last three years have felt like constant cramming: about politics, elections and parliamentary procedures. You feel you’ve got the hang of it, then wham! Prorogation and Fixed Term and Filibustering catch you out. It’s almost like our vague and malleable constitution has been set up to catch out anyone who didn’t go to the right sort of school…
The Worst Prime Minster. Ever.
Though one thing that has become clear this week is that Boris Johnson is on track to be the Worst Prime Minster. Ever. And not a matter of my opinion – but fact. Thatcher lost four votes in 11 years. Boris has spent three *days* in the Commons and lost three votes – it took Gordon Brown three *years* to do the same.
Our Prime Minister lied when he was a journalist, lied in his marriage, and so it should be no surprise that he is lying and scheming as our national leader. But the glare of the spotlight has shown him up – warts and all. He has completely lost the trust of the House.
Seely: ‘Speaking as a natural rebel myself’
And this inability to tell the full truth is clearly contagious. Much has been spoken of the ‘Rebel Alliance’ of cross-party MPs, working to stop a No Deal Brexit. When quizzed about this at the Islanders for Europe meeting in Newport this week, our own MP Bob Seely responded with the phrase ‘Speaking as a natural rebel myself…’!
When has our MP ever rebelled?! He has been rigidly loyal to his leader and the whips, voted for cuts to local government and schools, and flip-flopped on his support for the Deal (March) and for No Deal (September) to ensure he always does as he is instructed. Some rebel!
Alliances needed more than ever
But it’s true – never have we needed alliances more than ever. We have to pull together, take deep breaths, and look around for those bridges to build. I firmly believe that the public want alliances much more than they want tribalism, and are fed up with the constant fighting and petty arguments.
So – is a General Election going to help whatsoever?! I don’t believe we have a choice: the government has lost its majority and Parliament are at stalemate. A General Election seems inevitable.
Significant alliances on the Isle of Wight?
I’ve been a secondary school teacher for 20 years this week. I wanted to teach History since I was at school – but I never, ever planned to be involved in changing it.
When the election comes, I’ll be standing to be MP for the third time in four instable years. Yet unlike many seats, could we see real, significant alliances on the Isle of Wight? Thousands of us hope so, and some of us are trying to make it happen.
Honesty and openness needed in our politics
Because the next ten years will be critical in the direction our country takes. Not just Brexit. But the sustainability of our essential public services, our planet and the future for our children is at stake. If the UK continues in its current form we need a new clear and fair codified constitution to ensure honesty and openness in our politics, not jargon and game-playing.
We cannot go backwards. Our wonderful country is crying out for radical overhaul and we need people in Westminster who are compassionate but aren’t afraid to ruffle some feathers: who can rebel, but alongside others and in an alliance.
I’m proud to be standing to be MP again and leading that fight for our Island and the wider world – in the small ways that I can.
