Petition calling for resignation of Isle of Wight MP gathering pace

A petition calling for the resignation of Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely, after he was exposed as breaching Coronavirus lockdown rules last month, has reached over 1,300 signatures.

Cameron Palin from East Cowes, who launched the petition, said,

“The Island’s MP Bob Seely brazenly broke the UK government’s rules by going to a May barbecue with London’s political elites whilst islanders stayed at home.
“It appears that he cares more about positioning himself on the national political ladder than he does about Islanders’ lives. Islanders are rightly furious; once again it’s ‘one rule for them and another for the rest of us’.”

Cameron, a Isle of Wight Green Party Campaign Officer, appeared on BBC South Today over the weekend, to explain why he started the petition calling for Mr Seely’s resignation.

No gatherings of more than two people outdoors
He went on to say,

“MPs don’t need to meet constituents in person, and when he attended a barbecue with his girlfriend and three other people in Seaview on 22nd May, the UK government’s lockdown rules clearly stated no gatherings of more than two people outdoors, not to meet in other people’s gardens, and a person could meet outside with only one person from another household.
“His girlfriend allegedly doesn’t live him, so she would have qualified as the one person outside his household to meet.”

Palin: MPs should be leading by example
Cameron finished by saying,

“Since finding out about this, constituents of Mr Seely have hit to social media calling for him to resign and talking about how his half-hearted apology is not good enough.
“Following this I felt it necessary to set up a petition calling for the resignation of Mr Seely, which in less than 48hrs has already reached over 1,300 signatures.
“MPs and leaders cross the country should be leading by example, but instead we see Mr Seely and Dominic Cummings feel it is one rule for them and another for the rest of us!”

The petition
To see the petition head over to the Change.org Website.

Seely apologises
Mr Seely issued a statement on Saturday in which he apologised for his “lapse in judgement”.