As a geographical entity distinct from the mainland, the Isle of Wight has always fought to have this identity recognised. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands The Isle of Wight is an English Island and county in the English Channel between three and five miles (8 km from the south coast of the The Isle of Wight is currently a ceremonial and Non-metropolitan county and as it has no district councils (only the county council) it is effectively a unitary county. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies A non-metropolitan county or shire county in England, is a county-level entity which is not a Metropolitan county. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions It is unique in England in this way - all other unitary areas are single districts with no county council, while the Isle of Wight is the other way round. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The island is also the highest populated Westminster constituency in the country. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty
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Political history
Historically, the island was part of the historic county of Hampshire, previously called Southamptonshire. The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain
Historic boroughs of the Island
The island's most ancient borough was Newtown on the large natural harbour on the island's north-western coast. Newtown is a small hamlet on the Isle of Wight, in England. Newtown is located on the large natural harbour on the island's north-western coast now A French raid in 1377, that destroyed much of the town as well as other Island settlements, sealed its permanent decline. By the middle of the sixteenth century, it was a small settlement long eclipsed by the more easily defended town of Newport. Newport is the County town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Elizabeth I breathed some life into the town by awarding two parliamentary seats but this ultimately made it one of the most notorious of the Rotten Boroughs. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The term "rotten" or "decayed" borough referred to a parliamentary borough or Constituency in Great Britain and Ireland By the time of the Great Reform Act that abolished the seats, it had just fourteen houses and twenty-three voters. The Representation of the People Act 1832, commonly known as the Reform Act 1832, was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system The Act also disenfranchised the boroughs of Newport and Yarmouth and replaced the six lost seats with the first MP for the whole Isle of Wight. Newport is a former Parliamentary borough located in Newport (Isle of Wight abolished in 1885. Yarmouth was a Borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707
Local governance
Often thought of as part of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight was briefly included in that county when the first county councils were created in 1888. A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. However, a "Home Rule" campaign led to a separate county council being established for the Isle of Wight in 1890, and it has remained separate ever since. Like inhabitants of many islands, Islanders are fiercely jealous of their real (or perceived) independence, and confusion over the Island's separate status is a perennial source of friction.
It was planned to merge the county back into Hampshire as a district in the 1974 local government reform, but a last minute change led to it retaining its county council. However, since there was no provision made in the Local Government Act 1972 for unitary authorities, the Island had to retain a two-tier structure, with a county council and two boroughs, Medina and South Wight. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions Medina was a Borough on the Isle of Wight in England from 1974 South Wight was a Borough on the Isle of Wight, created in the local government reform of 1974 alongside the Medina borough which covered the rest of the
The borough councils were merged with the county council on April 1, 1995, to form a single unitary authority, the Isle of Wight Council. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The Isle of Wight Council is a local council It is a Unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. The only significant present-day administrative link with Hampshire is the police service, which is joint between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain
Westminster representation
- See also Parliamentary representation from Isle of Wight for a list of the current and historical constituencies. The Isle of Wight is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England, was part of the historic county of Hampshire (originally Southamptonshire and was linked
The Isle of Wight forms a single constituency of the House of Commons, with an electorate of 108,253 (as of 2004). A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " This is by far the largest electorate in the country, and more than 50% above the England average of 70,026. The Boundary Commission has considered the possibility of splitting the island into two constituencies, but it was felt that the island would be better represented by a single MP. [1]
The constituency is traditionally a battleground between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Between 1974 and 1987, the seat was a Liberal seat, then becoming Conservative until 1997 when the Liberal Democrats won on a reduced Conservative vote. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party The seat reverted to the Conservatives in 2001.
2005 General Election
Five candidates contested the Isle of Wight constituency in the United Kingdom general election, 2005:
Results:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % Share | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives | Andrew Turner | 32,717 | 48. Results Overview For events leading up to the date of the election see article Pre-election day events of the United Kingdom general The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Andrew John Turner (born 24 October 1953 Coventry) is a politician in the United Kingdom. 94% | 9. 2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Anthony Rowlands | 19,739 | 29. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the 53% | −5. 8 | |
| Labour | Mark Chiverton | 11,484 | 17. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the 18% | 2. 4 | |
| UK Independence | Michael Tarrant | 2,352 | 3. The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, ˈjuːkɪp 51% | 0. 2 | |
| Independent | Edward Corby | 551 | 0. 82% | n/a | |
The election was expected to be a close race between the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives, but the high Conservative vote even surprised the successful candidate. The simultaneous local elections resulted in a Conservative landslide, and the high turnout and popular Conservative vote in the parliamentary election was likely to be a local sign of dissatisfaction with the incumbent, largely Liberal Democrat Council, as well as reflecting on the national issues. In Politics, a landslide victory (or landslide) is the victory of a candidate or Political party by an overwhelming margin in an Election The Labour Party continued to buck the national trend and increased the Labour vote to the highest for over 30 years, whilst the UKIP, did not manage to make the breakthrough expected by some, and only slightly increased their vote share.
Voting Summary:
| Winning Party | Conservatives | |
| Majority | 12,978 | 19. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. 42% |
| Turnout | 62. 4% | |
| Spoilt Ballots | 270 |
2001 General Election
In the 2001 General Election, the incumbent MP, Dr Peter Brand, a Liberal Democrat, was ousted by Andrew Turner of the Conservatives, one of the few constituencies to change hands. Results |} Total votes cast 26368204 All parties with more than 500 votes shown Peter Brand (born 1947 is a United Kingdom General practitioner and Liberal Democrat politician Andrew John Turner (born 24 October 1953 Coventry) is a politician in the United Kingdom. The Isle of Wight was also the last constituency in England to declare its results.
Results:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % Share | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives | Andrew Turner | 25,223 | 39. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Andrew John Turner (born 24 October 1953 Coventry) is a politician in the United Kingdom. 73% | +6. 21% | |
| Liberal Democrats | Peter Brand | 22,397 | 35. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Peter Brand (born 1947 is a United Kingdom General practitioner and Liberal Democrat politician 28% | -6. 87% | |
| Labour | Deborah Gardiner | 9,676 | 15. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the 24% | +2. 24% | |
| UK Independence | David Charles Lott | 2,106 | 3. The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, ˈjuːkɪp 32% | +0. 48% | |
| Independent | David Laurence Holmes | 1,423 | 2. 24% | ||
| Green Party | Paul Kevin Scivier | 1,279 | 2. The Green Party was a Green Political party in the United Kingdom 01% | +1. 28% | |
| Isle of Wight Party | Philip Murray | 1,164 | 1. 83% | ||
| Socialist Labour | James Lightfoot Spensley | 214 | 0. This article is about the Socialist Labour Party founded by Arthur Scargill in 1996 34% | ||
These results indicate a 6. 6% swing from Liberal Democrat to Conservative relative to the 1997 election. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. However there was only a small increase in the number of Conservative votes, while the Liberal vote fell significantly. The Labour vote again increased which was against the national pattern.
Among the minor parties the UK Independence gained votes, although not able to equal the results achieved by the similarly eurosceptic Referendum party in 1997. The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, ˈjuːkɪp This was possibly due to strategic voting by the generally right-wing supporters of the eurosceptic policies to ensure a Conservative victory. In Voting systems tactical voting (or strategic voting or sophisticated voting) occurs when a voter supports a candidate other than his or her The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Green Party also managed to almost triple its share of the vote. The Green Party was a Green Political party in the United Kingdom
Voting Summary:
| Winning Party | Conservative | |
| Majority | 2,826 | 4. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. 45% |
| Turnout | 63,905 | 61. 19% |
| Spoilt Ballots | 423 | 0. 66% |
In common with much of the country the turnout in 2001 was down on 1997, with the number voting comparable to the national average (59%).
Local government
As of 2005 the Isle of Wight Council is a Conservative controlled council. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Isle of Wight Council is a local council It is a Unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Between 2001 and May 2005, the ruling group of the Isle of Wight Council was a coalition called 'Island First' composed of Liberal Democrats and independents. The Isle of Wight Council is a local council It is a Unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England. A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the
2005 local council elections
The local council elections were held on 2005-05-05, the same date as the general election of that year. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John
| Party | Seats won in 2001 elections | Seats won in 2005 elections | Gain/Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 19 | 5 | -14 | |
| Conservatives | 12 | 35 | +23 | |
| Independents | 11 | 5 | -6 | |
| Labour | 5 | 2 | -3 | |
| Others | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
A local referendum on the issue of a directly-elected mayor of the Isle of Wight was held at the same time as the local elections - this failed to pass, with 37,097 against to 28,786 for. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita
2001 local council elections
The local council elections were held on 2001-06-07, the same date as the general election. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Issues with the paper used in ballots meant that results were delayed until later in the day after the election.
| Party | Seats prior to 2001 | Seats post 2001 elections | Gain/Loss | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 18 | 19 | +1 | |
| Conservatives | 13 | 12 | -1 | |
| Independents | 7 | 11 | +4 | |
| Labour | 4 | 5 | +1 | |
| Others | 6 | 1 | -5 | |
Historical results
Please Note: Prior to 1995, these results are for Isle of Wight County Council. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the The Isle of Wight Council is a local council It is a Unitary authority covering the Isle of Wight, South East England.
| Election Year | Incumbent Party/Parties |
|---|---|
| 1973 | Independent |
| 1977 | Conservatives |
| 1981 | Liberals |
| 1985 | Liberal/Social Democrats |
| 1989 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1993 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1995 | Liberal Democrats |
| 1998 | No Overall Control (Liberal Democrats largest grouping) |
| 2001 | No Overall Control; Island First (Lib Dem and Independents) controlling group. The Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the rise of the Labour Party in the 1920s and a third party This is about the UK Social Democratic Party which existed between 1981 and 1988 |
| 2005 | Conservative Party |
European Parliamentary representation
The Isle of Wight is a part of the South East England region for the purposes of European Parliamentary elections. South East England is one of the nine official Regions of England. The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU
2004 European Parliamentary Elections
The results of the European Parliament election, 2004 on the Isle of Wight were as follows. Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according
Please note: the following results are exclusively for the Isle of Wight; results are collated regionally prior to MEPs being assigned under the closed list proportional representation system. A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. Closed list describes the variant of Party-list proportional representation where voters can (effectively only vote for political parties as a whole and thus Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes
| Party | Votes | Percentage Share | SE England Share | SE England MEPs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservatives | 11,341 | 32. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. 4% | 35. 2% | 3 | |
| UK Independence | 9,913 | 28. The United Kingdom Independence Party (commonly known as UKIP, ˈjuːkɪp 4% | 19. 5% | 2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 4,234 | 12. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the 1% | 15. 3% | 2 | |
| Labour | 3,479 | 9. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the 9% | 13. 7% | 1 | |
| Green Party | 2745 | 7. The Green Party was a Green Political party in the United Kingdom 8% | 7. 9% | 1 | |
| Senior Citizens | 1,237 | 3. The Senior Citizens Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom, which focuses on the rights of people over-50 5% | 1. 9% | ||
| British National Party | 918 | 2. The British National Party (BNP is a Far-right and whites only political party in the United Kingdom. 6% | 2. 9% | ||
| English Democrats | 523 | 1. The English Democrats Party ( EngDem) is an English Nationalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament 5% | 1. 3% | ||
| Peace | 151 | 0. 4% | 0. 6% | ||
| Christian Alliance | 140 | 0. The Christian Peoples Alliance is a political party operating in the United Kingdom, linked to other Christian parties around the globe 4% | 0. 5% | ||
| Pro-Life | 103 | 0. ProLife Alliance (or simply ProLife) is a minor Political party in the United Kingdom formed in October 1996. 3% | 0. 3% | ||
| Respect | 100 | 0. Respect – The Unity Coalition is a Left wing political party in England and Wales founded on 25 January, 2004 in London. 3% | 0. 6% | ||
| Independent - Rhodes | 81 | 0. 2% | 0. 3% | ||
Regionally, turnout was 36. 5% on an electorate of 6,087,103.
Local political issues
Fixed link
For many years there has been debate over whether or not a bridge or tunnel should connect the island with mainland England. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This has been particularly an issue since the closing decades of the twentieth century onwards, when it became more economically and technically feasible to undertake such an operation. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The continuing debate centres on whether or not such a link is a desirable thing.
The Isle of Wight Party campaigned from a positive position, although extensive public debate on the subject revealed a strong body of opinion against such a proposal. In 2002, the Isle of Wight Council debated the issue and made a policy statement against the proposal.
Arguments in favour of a fixed link tend to concentrate upon the economic benefits that improved communications with the mainland may bring. There is support particularly among young people, which tends to be a form of rebellion against the inevitably parochial culture of the island.
Arguments against a fixed link include the risk to the unique island culture and environment; the risk of losing local distinctiveness, services and facilities to the much larger and economically active south Hampshire conurbation; and issues of immigration. Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population
Autonomy and political recognition
A number of discussions about the status of the island have taken place over many years, with standpoints from the extreme of wanting full sovereignty for the Isle of Wight, to perhaps the opposite extreme of merging with Hampshire. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself The pro-independence lobby had a formal voice in the early 1970s with the Vectis National Party. The Vectis National Party was a minor Political party operating in the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s Their main claim was that the sale of the island to the crown in 1293 was unconstitutional (see History of the Isle of Wight). Today the Isle of Wight is rich in historical and archaeological sites dating from prehistoric periods from an extraordinary wealth of Fossil discoveries including However, this movement now has little serious support. Since the 1990s the debate has largely taken the form of a campaign to have the Isle of Wight recognized as a distinct region by organizations such as the EU, due to its relative poverty within the southern England. The European Union created the Committee of the Regions to represent Regions of Europe as the layer of EU government administration directly below the nation-state One argument in favour of special treatment is that this poverty is not acknowledged by such organizations as it is distorted statistically by retired and wealthy (but less economically active) immigrants from the mainland.
References
- Westminster Election Results - Courtesy of Isle of Wight Council.
- Local Election Results From BBC. co. uk
See also
| Articles and Categories about the Isle of Wight, England |  |
Category:Isle of Wight | Category:Buildings and structures on the Isle of Wight | Dinosaurs of the Isle of Wight | Education on the Isle of Wight | History of the Isle of Wight | List of Isle of Wight people | List of civil parishes in the Isle of Wight | List of places on the Isle of Wight | Politics of the Isle of Wight | Category:Visitor attractions on the Isle of Wight | Category:Geography of the Isle of Wight | Category:Railway stations on the Isle of Wight| Category:Heritage railway stations on the Isle of Wight | |
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