For those who weren’t at the OneWight meeting today (or tuned out of our ‘Tweet Storm’), here are the live notes that we made at the time.
We always do our best to make them an accurate reflection of what it said, but of course some things slip through – there’s only so fast that you can type!
Earliest item at the top and ((Double brackets show notes added after the event)).
- Meeting started. Intros going on ((by Richard Priest))
- Costs increased of having two MPs if not One MP
- IW Unitary authority. One size doesn’t fit all. Highlands exception. Population growing.
- Alternatives – Two constituencies on the Island. One Constituency. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
- Minister: Thanks for invite. Want to listen to strength of feelings. Andrew does a great job for Island. Gov will respond to all signatures
- Fame at last – Minister has been watching ‘The VentnorBlog’
- If constituancy have too many people – people are under-represented. Give people a more equal weight. Boundary Commission will pick size
- If a Mainland MP has half of their constituency on the Island, they’re not going to ignore them
- Public Q+A: All ((political)) parties support Island not merging with the Island. What makes you think that you know better than us?
- A: I don’t think that we know better, just people should have equal representation
- Minister: If we reduce to 600 ((MPs)), we’ll save about £12m/year. Average size will be around 72,000 people
- Q: Boundary Commission say special geographic consideration are important. ((Population)) figures to 2024 will be 172k people.
- A: Future growth – We want to have a boundary review each Parliament, not infrequently like it is now
- Size isn’t pre-eminent consideration – as rules say now. We want to change it so Size is the most important. ((Sizes can vary within)) +/-5%
- Q: Morris Barton: (We had) discussions in 1971/72 ((about this type of reform)). We fought it off them. Isle of Wight is unique. Mr Clegg has got it wrong. We’re determined
- Mark Chiverton Q: Are you underestimating the passion of the Island? It shouldn’t be a mathematical model
- (10 minutes to go and lots of hands in the air still.)
- Minister A: Part of the point of coming is to lay out our stall. Not proposing to move people to the mainland ((as Jack Straw had said in the Commons)). Need view if you want extra ((Sorry – can’t recall what this is)
- Q: Letter from soldier in Afghanistan. Need to respect the identity of the Island. 1.5 MPs makes no sense
- Q: We need two MPs. Not happy with our MP.
- Bob Blezzard Q: I was at LibDem conf. Heard that it was Conservatives that are pushing this forward.
- Q: To take the views of the Island, the MP needs to live here
- A: MPs will need to take account of Island – Half the population ((Will be on the Island – if ignored, they won’t be re elected)). MP may live here
- A: All parts of the Government are committed to this. We are at one.
- A: This isn’t about individual MPs. It’s a point of principle. It’s not a dig at the Island
- Q: We are an Island. We have such a natural boundary – the sea. I’m a Londoner – but there’s such a community here on the Island – I love it
- Q: Exceptions for Scot Islands. Why not one for the Isle of Wight?
- Q: Removing emotion – what are the visible costs? What are the invisible costs? Has that been looked at?
- A: Exceptions – Scot Island, Geographic remoteness. I’ve been to Shetland. It’s remote. We haven’t made an exception for Anglesea
- A: On costs – £12m saving
- Q: Give us two MPs – we’ll grow into our over-sized shoes
- Q: We’re interest in keeping one Island. If we don’t get to keep it, there will be a revolt.
- Q: Have you got the guts to go to masters and say, keep it as one Island?
- Q: Consultations haven’t been sufficient
- A: When boundaries are drawn up ((By the Boundary Commission), there’ll be three months to give your views
- Q: I’m representing a whole lot of people ((here – they couldn’t make it along). You’re only hearing about the numbers – not the people
