Prime Minister Theresa May has this morning (Tuesday) announced she will call a snap general election for 8th June 2017.
The proposal will go to the House of Commons tomorrow (Wednesday) and needs two thirds of MPs to vote in favour, however, all the main parties have said this morning that they welcome the early election.
Isle of Wight MP: “Look forward to working to win on the Island”
OnTheWight immediately wrote to current Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Andrew Turner‘s office to ask whether he will stand again should the election go ahead.
Mr Turner said,
“I was in a meeting of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee from 9.00am this morning, so myself and colleagues on the Committee knew nothing of the speculation going on outside about the announcement just after 11.00am. I am as surprised as anybody by this – but can understand the reasoning behind the decision. Most people in the country, whether they supported it or not, have rallied behind the decision made on 23rd June last year that we should leave the European Union. Sadly many MPs have not and there has been increasing unrest in the Commons.
“As is well known, I have always supported Brexit, along with 62% of Islanders. I go out knocking on doors every Saturday, and have increasingly found people saying we should now just get on with it – even if they voted Remain in the referendum.
So although it is a pity it is necessary, I support the Prime Minister’s decision to call an election and look forward to working to win on the Island. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who have already been in touch expressing their support.
“In the meantime it is business as usual, and I have been lucky in the ballot to ask a topical question during Treasury Question Time this afternoon.”
At the 2015 general election Mr Turner received 28,591 votes.
That was 40.67 % of the votes cast – and 26.28% of the voting population of the Island.
The other results:
UKIP – 14,888
Green – 9,404
Labour – 8,984
LibDem – 5,235
Indie – 3,198
Greens: “The time is right”
Other parties on the Isle of Wight have been swifter to respond, the first being leader of the Isle of Wight Green Party, Vix Lowthion.
Vix had already been selected as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Green Party on the Isle of Wight – specifically for days like these – she said,
“A good deal has changed politically since I last stood for election as your MP in 2015, coming third behind UKIP and the Conservatives. The time is right to go back to the people – and change our government. Change our country’s direction. It is time to give a strong voice for the Isle of Wight.
“The IW Green Party will win our first seats on the Council in May. And in June we could have only the second Green MP in the country. We can build A Future to be Proud Of! I urge islanders to get behind our Parliamentary campaign and support us in any way you can.”
Lib Dem: “Chance for voters to decide the future of their country”
Nicholas Belfitt, Chair of Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, reacted to the calls for a general election:
“We welcome the calls of general election to give the chance for voters to decide the future of their country and their Island. We welcome the chance to put forward a real alternative to people who feel worried and upset about the course of this government.
“As Liberal Democrats, we will fight this election with the position of putting a real alternative forward. We will fight to turn our country away from a Tory-led Hard Brexit and fight to keep our positive economic position in the single market and customs union which many Island businesses depends on. We will fight for close relations with the EU and giving people a true vote on the Brexit negotiation deal.
“We will fight to give a voice to Islanders so the Isle of Wight is properly represented in parliament, fighting for our social and health services that are being torn apart.
“Lib Dems believe in opportunities, we have been given an opportunity to make real change, now it’s time to take that opportunity to get our island and to get our country working for you.”
Mr Belfitt added they will now start the process to select their Isle of Wight Parliamentary Candidate for the general election.
UKIP: “I don’t believe the polls”
UKIP’s Isle of Wight councillor, Daryll Pitcher, told OnTheWight,
“My immediate thoughts are ones of surprise, I don’t believe the polls and I think it will be closer than people realise, and of optimism.
“Between the newly Brexit supporting PM and a newly resurgent UKIP the margin for Leave voters at this election should be much greater than the Referendum result. It will also give my party a chance to regain representation in Westminster, hopefully here on the Isle of Wight.
“As for a candidate an announcement will be made in due course.”
Labour: “”
Island Labour Secretary, Ed Gouge, has welcomed Teresa May’s statement that there will be a general election on 8th June.
Ed Gouge said, “A general election gives an opportunity to debate what is happening to the NHS, school funding and the failure of local Conservatives to get from the Government the financial support that the Island needs. There has been economic growth but none if it has gone into wage increases for much of the population or key public services.
“After seven years this economic experiment has left the country worse off.
“We will be making a strong case for a fairer more compassionate and sustainable society where strong communities and the needs of the many are put before the needs of the privileged few.
Here on the Island we are the largest political party and have been running a strong local election campaign.“We need a Labour MP and not another Conservative who won’t stand up for the Island. The Government has been trying to close down the debate on the terms of Brexit but a general election gives us a chance to argue that too.”
Article edit
14.05 Response from Andrew Turner and Ed Gouge added
Image: Squeezomatic under CC BY 2.0
