andrew turner mp
Island Life - April/May 2011
Andrew Turner MP
The Riverside Centre, The Town Quay, Newport IW
[email protected]
Tel: 01983 522404
Two MP's set for the Island!
We now know the Island will have
point in speculating so I am simply
two MPs after the next election. Many
concentrating on being the MP for the
confrontational as people believe.
people would like a straightforward
whole Island.
Nationally the OneWight campaign
explanation of how that came about
Politics is not always as
What this has proved once again is the
benefitted from the support of
and also how the Island will be divided
value of working together, even when
individual MPs & Lords of all political
up. Some are delighted at the outcome;
you can’t agree about everything.
persuasions. Locally I worked with
others are disappointed, wanting the
have been the Island’s MP for almost
Mark Chiverton of Labour, Jill Wareham
Island to keep a single MP. One early
a decade now; there have been many
from the LibDems, our excellent Island
lesson for any MP is that you can’t keep
disagreements between political parties
media, the Chamber of Commerce
everyone happy!
over those years but we can come
& Tourism and local businesses and
There is no simple way to explain
together when
how this came about. Parliamentary
Island needs it.
procedures are rarely straightforward
I
the
individuals. I am grateful to them all.
This is a great outcome for the Island,
I organised
although I’ll admit to a twinge of regret
- this was no exception. However the
at being the last MP
Government became convinced they
for the Isle of
could not get their proposal
Wight. If I
for a cross-Solent
win the
constituency
next
through
Parliament.
election
There was plenty of opposition
I will go from having
from MPs in the House of Commons,
the largest constituency
who never actually got to vote on it and
to one of the smallest.
a large majority in the House of Lords
From the Island being
voted against it (after a great deal of
the
work by Seaview resident Lord Fowler).
massive ‘Hands
When the Government finally realised
off our Hospital’
they were likely to lose they conceded
campaign to oppose
UK. Whatever happens, as MP for half
defeat gracefully and gave the Island
A&E and maternity services being
the Island I would work with the other
two MPs to itself.
moved to the mainland. In 2003 I led a
MP – regardless of party politics - for
Council delegation to ask the Secretary
the good of the people we represent.
How the Island will be divided nobody
under-represented we
will be over-represented
compared to the rest of the
knows. The Boundary Commission
of State for a better financial settlement
will make proposals and everyone
for the Island. Like the OneWight
have two voices speaking up in the
will have a chance to give their views
campaign these were cross-party
House of Commons – that has got to be
before a final decision is made.
initiatives with widespread community
a good result!
Until then I believe there is little
support - and they were successful.
12
After the next election the Island will
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