ONEWIGHT campaign

Liberal Democrats actively oppose the hiving off of any part of the Island in an un-natural and deeply silly attachment to part of the mainland, to form less than half of a very odd Parliamentary Constituency indeed.

Whilst supporting the ONEWIGHT campaign, we feel it is important to push for a positive change giving the Island two seats, rather than simply maintaining the status quo and leaving us as the largest constituency with 110,000 voters and still growing.

The Deputy Prime Minister has been written to, expressing our deep-seated objections - we are not Hayling Island. We are the largest populated Island in the EU which doesn't receive financial assistance to alleviate the social and economic problems that division by water brings.

An example of possible conflict in interests by an MP representing both mainland and the Isle of Wight is clearly shown in the West Wight. Desmond Swayne, Conservative MP who represents Lymington has actively campaigned against the new ferries using Lymington-Yarmouth route. Islanders have supported the new ferries realising the old ones were well past their 'sell-by' date and entirely necessary for both the tourists and locals who use this ferry route. This is completely opposite to the views of Islanders. What would be his stance if he also represented the Isle of Wight?

Given our very real economic challenges it is an almost impossible task for one MP to effectively represent us all. Strangely nobody else in the UK wants to be in a constituency as large as ours, everybody wants fewer MPs but objects to losing theirs. Why should we continue to accept second best?

Jill Wareham