Island Life June July 2015 June July 2015 | Page 26

ISLAND LIFE MAGAZINE

Back to work fo
“We all know that on
the Island we face a
unique and particular
set of circumstances
due to our separation
from the mainland”

26

www.visitilife.com

W

elcome to my first Island
Life column following
the General Election in
May. I want to thank everybody who
voted for me, and even those who
voted for other candidates – it’s
important that people take part in
the democratic process.
But now the election is over, it’s
time to start looking forward to
what needs to be done over the
next five years. The Government
will continue to address the need
to fix the nation’s finances, support
businesses and make sure that work
always pays, whilst protecting those
who need help. We will also have a
referendum on our future with the
EU before the end of 2017.
Like the Government, councils
across the country, including our own,
face difficult financial decisions. The
acute need to balance the country’s
books means there is a smaller
cake to go around – so everybody is
getting a smaller slice. Over the past
14 years I have supported various
initiatives by the Isle of Wight Council
to ask for more money – some
successful, others not.
We all know that on the Island we
face a unique and particular set of
circumstances due to our separation
from the mainland – and we want
the Government to recognise this
by way of additional funding. The
fundamental problem with that
approach is that every single area
of the country can claim unique
problems and challenges. Many
cities have high numbers of nonEnglish speakers to support, northern
constituencies say they suffer from
being too far away from London - the
powerhouse of our economy - and
Kentish ports must deal with those
who try to enter the country illegally.
Every council, and indeed every MP,
can make a case for their own area
to be given special treatment. Even