Our politicians are working together – at last!

For the first time in years, the Isle of Wight has united in its call for government help. The message? The cross-Solent ferry situation is untenable, and we need your help.

In a rare display of unity, our local politicians have set aside any differences to address this critical issue, which is so badly affecting the Island’s residents and businesses. This week, a letter was sent to the Transport Secretary, asking her to publicly confirm discussions going on behind closed doors about improving our ferry services which have become increasingly unreliable and expensive.

The joint letter is signed by West Wight MP, Richard Quigley (Labour), East Wight MP, Joe Robertson (Conservative), and IW Council leader, Phil Jordan (Independent). This collaborative effort follows an unanimous vote by the Isle of Wight Council last week, which showed cross-party determination to bring ferry operators to account over rapidly rising fares and equally rapidly diminishing services.

This marks a significant shift from past disunity. Back in 2009, then IW Council leader, David Pugh, refused to endorse MP, Andrew Turner’s submission to the Office of Fair Trading, because Mr Turner would not support his education restructuring plans. When former MP, Bob Seely, released a paper on the ferries a few months before July’s general election, it came to light that he had hardly spoken to Cllr Jordan for seven months.

The Island has seen the power of cross-party collaboration before. In 2002, the Labour government awarded the Isle of Wight extra funding, after a meeting with council leader, Shirley Smart, attended by representatives of every political party and organised by Andrew Turner. The annual £3 million pounds awarded would be worth over £6 million today.

East Wight MP, Joe Robertson, stressed the importance of unity, saying, “Only by working together will we have a chance of getting the Government to intervene on ferries to improve services and prices. That’s why I pledged to work cross-party if I got elected and that is what I am now doing. Both Richard Quigley and I have met with Ministers, and I am hopeful we can achieve meaningful change so we do not become the only community in the UK entirely reliant on private companies loaded with debt for essential travel.”

Richard Quigley echoed the sentiment, adding, “Following the recent unanimous vote at the IW Council, it is clear there is now cross-party recognition that we need changes in the Island’s ferry market. We are inviting the Secretary of State to confirm discussions that have already taken place privately, so that nobody can be under any illusion that there is a determination from this government, as well as from the Island, to find a better model for our lifeline services. This is the first time that we have been in this position.

“There is no quick fix, no silver bullet; but under this Labour government change is coming.”

Cllr Jordan summed up the situation. He said: “It’s a refreshing change to be working with our two new MPs that have the Island’s interests at the forefront of their work. Now we are all working together and speaking with one voice, let’s hope that the government will listen at last.”