Author: Simon Perry
TwoWight: MPs Voted It Through Last Night
7:44 am Wednesday, 16th February, 2011, Isle of Wight
ShortURL: http://wig.ht/twowightvote
Read More- Election, Island-wide, Law & Order, News, Politics
MPs last night voted for the Island to have two Island MPs.
As previewed by Andrew Turner yesterday, the MPs voted to split the Island constituency in two, not split the time of one of those MPs with the Mainland. This was seen as a concession to the Lords, who in January voted to keep the Isle of Wight separate.
Many on the Island felt that, with only one MP for the Isle of Wight, the people of the Island were under-represented as their vote counted for less, compared with other areas of the UK.
Back in August, VB put out an opinion piece arguing for two dedicated MPs for the Island, unpopular with some at the time. Some labelled the two Island MPs idea TwoWight.
Last night’s voting and other details are available from PA.
Before it becomes law, it still must be voted through the House of Lords.
Where will they divide it, right down the middle?
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The boundary commission will need to find a line that leaves 52 500 residents on one side and 52 500 on the other.
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Which ever way its to be split, it will be the Boundary Commission rather than politicians who make the decision!
At last the Commons have voted sensibly- probably for the first time since last May!!
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Two points from last night Commons’ debate made me smile. A Labour MP criticised the Coalition Government for making a special case for the Island but not taking a similar line with constituencies in Cornall and Wales. He described it as not ‘gerrymandering’ but ‘ferrymandering’.
And Andrew Turner received a sympathetic hearing from fellow MPs when he read from a prepared speech. He did, however, refer twice to Mr Speaker and not to Madam Deputy Speaker.
Should have gone to Specsavers?
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Make that Cornwall!
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Rather than getting into arguments over how the Island should be divided, why not have all candidates standing for the whole Island and the two who poll the most votes represent us all?
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Interesting idea. Does this fit within current UK voting law?
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Almost certainly not. But if a special case can be made for two MPs why not ask for this? I will not hold my breath, however.
I imagine the MP with the most votes would try to claim the ‘senior partner’ role.
I am sure there must be many other reasons for and against. Any thoughts anyone?
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Sounds like a better solution than splitting the island. That’s how the US Senate works. Two senators for each state; both senators represent (and elected by / answerable to) the entire state.
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One ‘for’ for shared coverage of the Island would be competition (and a lot of collaboration) for doing best for the island. It would keep them both on their toes.
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No Simon
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Unfortunately not-constituencies are geographically bounded.
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great Idea but without any legal basis or precedent. The split is fairly clear East/west with a couple of central towns and villages drifting one way or the other.
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Would new constituencies along the boundaries of the former Medina Council and the South Wight Council be another way of splitting the island?
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its all going to be about numbers
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My guess is Ryde to ventnor including Godshill on oneside..Newport an dthe rest on the other based on
2001 population figures
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_on_the_Isle_of_Wight
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probably have to go PFI for the wall though
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Bravo, No 5, that really made me smile.
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Probably not – the former MBC took in Ryde Newport and Cowes. ‘South wight’ went right across the Island. To get two ‘equal’ parts Ryde has to be in a separate constituency from Newport – else how is Ryde to gain from status quo. It’s the Island largest town in its own right.
The best thing all round is if AT gets Newport [prisoners too!] Cowes [Both] and points West of St Catherine’s, while Wooton, Ryde right round to Ventnor St Lawrence go into the new ‘East Wight’
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TWO MPs, eh! What’s the betting that “Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew” will throw his hat into the ring- and 100,000 Islanders will throw it out again? :-))
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People used to say that I was cynical of politicians, and then they realized that it wasn’t me who was cynical, but the politicians. Very few have proven themselves worthy of sacrifices made in the name of democracy, and certainly none on offer to me are worthy of my vote.
Even the relevancy of parliament is a very moot point indeed, as Tony Benn stated in his diaries; “As a minister, I experienced the power of industrialists and bankers to get their way by use of the crudest form of economic pressure, even blackmail, against a Labour Government. Compared to this, the pressure brought to bear in industrial disputes is minuscule. This power was revealed even more clearly in 1976 when the IMF secured cuts in our public expenditure. These lessons led me to the conclusion that the UK is only superficially governed by MPs and the voters who elect them. Parliamentary democracy is, in truth, little more than a means of securing a periodical change in the management team, which is then allowed to preside over a system that remains in essence intact. If the British people were ever to ask themselves what power they truly enjoyed under our political system they would be amazed to discover how little it is, and some new Chartist agitation might be born and might quickly gather momentum”.
The trouble was he was not saying anything new, as this extract from the 1924 US Banker’s Association Magazine illustrates “Capital must protect itself in every possible way, both by combination and legislation. Debts must be collected, mortgages foreclosed as rapidly as possible. When through the process of law the common people lose their homes, they will become more docile and more easily governed through the strong arm of government applied by a central power of wealth under leading financiers. These truths are well known among our principal men who are now engaged in forming an imperialism to govern the world. By dividing the voter through the political party system we can get them to expend their energies in fighting for questions of no importance. It is thus by discreet action we can secure for ourselves that which has been so well planned and so successfully accomplished.”
Maybe, just maybe the American’s were on to something “It is an old maxim and a very sound one; that he that dances should always pay the fiddler. Now, sir, in the present case, if any gentlemen, whose money is a burden to them, choose to lead off a dance, I am decidedly opposed to the people’s money being used to pay the fiddler…all this to settle a question in which the people have no interest, and about which they care nothing. These capitalists generally act harmoniously, and in concert, to fleece the people, and now, that they have got into a quarrel with themselves, we are called upon to appropriate the people’s money to settle the quarrel.” – Abraham Lincoln, January 11, 1837
Of course these Americans were only copying our own Shakespeare who penned “This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land, Dear for her reputation through the world, Is now leased out, I die pronouncing it. Like to a tenement or pelting farm: England, bound in with the triumphant sea, Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds: That England, that was wont to conquer others, Hath made a shameful conquest of itself”.
So the next MP can sit back and watch as what is left of our society is monetized by people who were ‘elected’ to protect it. I mean the £8-9-10 million a year that PFI is going to cost doesn’t grow on trees you know.
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re: “I mean the £8-9-10 million a year that PFI is going to cost doesn’t grow on trees you know.”
Even if it did, selling off the UK’s national forests to investment (b)ankers ensures that it would not be scrumped by the poor. :-))
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The principle advocated some time ago by the Trades Council that the island should be one entity with two MP’s appears to have gained currency.We wish to congratulate all of those, regardless of their political persuasion, who have gained this on behalf of the democratic citizens on the island. Now we must go forward and try and find those candidates, selected by various collectives on the island, who can represent the wishes of the island’s people outside the Westminster cartel parties who all sing off the same song sheet.
Ryde and East Wight Trades Council
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TotWT: your quotations are awesome. Obviously, “History is just one damn thing after another”, most of it repeated.
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Turners mum: What do you want to do when you grow up Andrew?
Turner: I’m going to be king of the Isle of White and Caroles going to be queen mummy
Turners mum: That nice dear, but I think you will only be king of half of it and I don’t think its not spelt like that either.
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:)
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?more expensive? divisive? will our views now be ignored by twice as many MP’s as before?
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Thats for the electorate to decide and monitor
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The OneWight campaign only ever wanted one MP for the IoW.
May I suggest that you look at their logo very carefully.
Andrew Turner wrote: Date: 02 Nov 2010
‘The Island’s MP, Andrew Turner, has said he is disappointed that the House of Commons voted last night to split the Island by a majority of 81.’
I attended the OneWight meeting and the majority of supporter of OneWight just wanted to retain the status quo – Meaning, one MP for the IoW.
How Andrew Turner and his supporters of OneWight, including the County Press, can claim a victory baffles me.
Hypocricy mi thinks!
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For them to claim this as a victory Don is so ludicrous it should be entertaining, that is if it wasn’t such an insult to our intelligence.
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