The ONE WIGHT campaign today (Fri) publishes the six most likely options for dividing up the Island into different Parliamentary constituencies, if current Government plans get the go-ahead.

Over 1,500 people have now signed the ONEWIGHT petition, whilst dozens more have written letters to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The ONEWIGHT campaign is a cross-party campaign to keep the Isle of Wight united as a single Parliamentary constituency, opposing Whitehall plans to divide the Island.

 “This is a reality that affects Islanders and Mainlanders alike. To have a mainland MP representing our Island is an awful prospect,” said Becky Hunns, 22, from East Cowes, one of the ONEWIGHT campaign’s student volunteers.

“We’re an Island with our own issues, views and people, and we need an Island based MP to support us. With regards to the mainland, those constituencies that will be shared with the Isle of Wight will suffer as they will lose their identities too, as well as their MP’s time and availability,” Becky said.

Becky was out campaigning today in Newport, Isle of Wight, with Simon Haytack 19, from Whitwell and Jed Dwight, 18, from Newtown.

“We haven’t shared an MP with the Mainland since 1832 and we don’t want or, in my opinion, need to start now!” said Jed, a former pupil at Cowes High School. “I haven’t ever heard anyone say that they feel that our MP, whichever party, is unable to represent the whole Island population. This is just one reason why such a move would be simply unjustifiable.”

The six options which campaigners believe are most likely for the Island are:

1.     Ryde, Bembridge Sandown and Shanklin linked to a Portsmouth constituency
2.     The Medina valley linked to a Southampton constituency
3.     Cowes through to Ryde linked to a coastal mainland seat constituency
4.     Rural west and central Wight linked to a New Forest seat
5.     Yarmouth, Cowes and Ryde linked to Lymington, Southampton and Portsmouth seats
6.     North east Wight linked to a Portsmouth/coastal seat

All the above scenarios are based on taking 30,000 to 35,000 Island voters and attaching them to mainland constituencies, as the Government is intending.

“The reality is that one of these is going to happen unless we can persuade Government to stop these plans.” said Richard Priest. “This is bad for our political representation and bad for our economy.”

“Whichever option the Government goes for, the Island will end up being split into two or more Parliamentary constituencies. Being on an island shapes our identity. We need Government to recognise that fact,” said Island campaigner Bob Seely.

 One Wight is asking Islanders, and anybody else who opposes these plans, to sign the Parliamentary petition.

The campaign will be out and about during Cowes Week and have double-decker bus to some of the Island’s village fetes and shows.

There are several ways to help.

• Sign the petition. You can do this online at www.onewight.org.uk or by downloading a petition from the website and sending it into the OneWight Campaign, c/o Andrew Turner MP, The Mall, Carisbrooke Road, Newport, PO30 1BW. The more people who sign the petition the greater the likelihood that we can change Mr Clegg’s opinion.
• Ask your local shop to carry the petition and the poster (available online, or contact Bob Seely email below and he will send a copy). It’s really important to get our local shops to stock the petition.
• In addition, please ask your parish council/neighbours to sign the petition, either online or in hard copy. Better still, arrange a petition session where a group of you gather signatures in your village or street. If you would like help to make up numbers, let us know and we will ask some of our younger members of the OneWight campaign to come out and support you.

Tell other people about what is happening.

• Put a poster in your window (available at the website).
• If you use Facebook, join the Onewight Facebook site. Get others to join the Facebook site.
• Send a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (a template for the letter will be on the website www.onewight.org.uk on Friday).

Relevant weblinks:

Follow the One Wight Campaign on Twitter : http://twitter.com/OneWight

Follow the One Wight Campaign on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=142679605743201

Visit the campaign website www.onewight.org.uk 

As already reported on Island Pulse 

 Don’t Divide the Island Support One Wight Campaign

One Wight Campaign Launches Next Week