VB ran the release from Andrew Turner’s office yesterday which announced that MPs voted against making the Isle of Wight an exception to voting boundary changes.
We thought we’d follow up for those of you who wanted to read into the details of what was said about the Island in the debate for the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.
A number of other MPs from around the UK attempted to get exemptions for the areas that they represent – in the Island’s case, not to be shared with the mainland.
As we now know, those seeking the exception failed at that stage. To become law, it still has to pass through the House of Lords.
Below are sections that you can read up in full context by following the links that we’ve provided underneath.
Chris Bryant (Rhondda, Labour)
“Amendment 13 would make explicit provision for a whole number of seats for Cornwall and the Scilly Isles, for Anglesey and for the Isle of Wight. Amendment 11 would determine that wards could not be split between constituencies, and amendment 12 would mean that factors such as local boundaries could be considered without subordination to the 5% rule, but not going further than the 10% rule.”
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Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Lochaber, Liberal Democrat)
“Leaving aside party politics, I think the House would agree that there are distinct and unique geographical considerations in places such as the Isle of Wight …”
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“Although the numbers there are huge compared with the island communities that some of us represent, the sense of a natural, distinct identity in the Isle of Wight should surely be reflected in the attitude that officialdom takes. I do not claim to speak with insight for the people of the Isle of Wight, but if that is what people want-representing island communities such as Skye, I can well understand where they are coming from-who are we to pass legislation that thwarts them before they have even got off the starting block in making their argument?”
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Paul Murphy (Torfaen, Labour)
However, the point is that our constituencies are also based on communities. What Government in their right mind could think that the Isle of Wight could be anything other than a constituency? The rigidity with which the Government are dealing with these issues is beyond belief.
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Andrew George (St Ives, Liberal Democrat)
“I have said already that we are not asking for favouritism, only for the distinctiveness of Cornwall to be respected.”
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Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test, Labour)
“Would the hon. Gentleman associate his remarks about Cornwall with other areas in the south of England, such as the Isle of Wight, which are in exactly the same circumstances? The consequences of not associating his remarks with those other areas would mean that the Boundary Commission would have to take completely arbitrary decisions, not based on any community considerations, so part of the integral community would have to be redistributed elsewhere.”
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Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight, Conservative)
Andrew spoke a number of times towards the end of the debate. He started with …
“I tabled amendment 1 to protect the Isle of Wight. The needs and interests of the people of the Isle of Wight are different from those of people living on the mainland … ”
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David Heath (Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, House of Commons; Somerton and Frome, Liberal Democrat)
The amendments seek to make exceptions for, variously, the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Ynys Môn and the highlands of Scotland, and we recognise the pride and sense of history that underpins each of these claims for special treatment … For example, a cross-Solent constituency might have advantages. The Isle of Wight council has recently made a submission to the Government to create a Solent local enterprise partnership covering the economic area of south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Where appropriate, therefore, the island is clearly willing to develop its long-term interests in conjunction with its mainland neighbours. There are a number of shared opportunities between the island and the mainland and I believe this willingness to engage could also be demonstrated in a cross-Solent constituency.”
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