By Carole Dennett
A detailed look at the electoral division‑level results from Thursday’s elections to the IW Council shows how each political party performed in terms of vote share wherever they fielded candidates.
The picture shows how the local political landscape has been transformed, with Reform UK securing the largest share of the vote, Independents performing well, and much of the traditional parties’ usual share of the vote shifting to Reform, the party which didn’t even exist the last time the whole council was elected in 2021. The averages are calculated only from the wards in which each party stood, ensuring a fair comparison across the board.
Reform UK
Reform UK, who contested every ward, achieved the highest overall vote share of 32.44 per cent. This ranged from 16.67 per cent of the votes in Cowes North to 45.84 per cent in Pan & Barton. They consistently finished first or second, and their average share reflects the depth of their support across much of the Island.
Independents
Independent candidates, who stood in 27 wards, demonstrated the strength of personal reputation, most notably in Cowes West & Gurnard, where Cllr Paul Fuller was returned with 1,173 votes out of 1,558 cast – 75.29 per cent of the vote. Their vote share varied widely from ward to ward, but in many places their results were strong. Others who achieved a greater‑than‑50‑per‑cent share of the vote were Cllrs Ian Dore (57.90 per cent, Binstead & Fishbourne), Jonathan Bacon (62.85 per cent, Brading & St Helens), Karl Love (57.25 per cent, East Cowes), Becca Cameron (63.71 per cent, Freshwater South) and Christopher Jarman (51.55 per cent, Totland & Colwell). The mixed bag of results gave them an overall vote share of 23.08 per cent.
Other parties
The Conservatives’ vote share was 18.30 per cent, a sharp fall compared with previous elections. Their strongest performance was from Cllr Matthew Price, who secured almost half of the votes cast; 602 of 1,234, representing 48.78 per cent. In many wards they were overtaken not only by Reform but also by Independents, Greens and Liberal Democrats.
The Green Party’s overall vote share was 12.51 per cent, although Cllr Claire Critchison in Chale, Niton & Whitwell also beat the 50 per cent barrier with 51.54 per cent.
The Liberal Democrats’ performance was also mixed. Returning Cllr Andrew Garratt in Parkhurst & Hunnyhill was helped to a 61.09 per cent performance by being the only candidate in a two‑person race. Cllr Michael Lilley in Ryde Appley & Elmfield was also returned with just over 60 per cent of the votes cast in the ward – 60.08 per cent to be precise. The party’s overall vote share was 8.81 per cent.
Labour’s strongest performance unsurprisingly came in Cowes North, where they won their only seat. Newly elected Cllr Jock Rafferty polled 439 of the 1,236 votes cast, a percentage of 35.52 per cent. Their overall percentage was just 4.25 per cent, doubtless affected by the party’s national woes.
Overall performance
The vote share analysis shows Reform UK as the clear leader in overall support, with Independents remaining the second‑strongest force where they stood. The Conservative Association’s chairman Tim Jefferies acknowledged at the count that their result was a disappointment, while the Liberal Democrats and Greens retained the same number of seats, but with different vote shares across the board. The sole Labour candidate elected clearly put in a good performance on the doorstep to retain the Cowes North seat for the party, given the dreadful headlines about the government, and Sir Keir Starmer in particular, throughout the campaign.
The candidates who polled the highest percentage of votes were all sitting councillors standing for re-election. New councillors should perhaps take note that whilst nobody is immune to national trends, personal reputations still count for much with the Island electorate.
Regardless of the results the IW Observer appreciates and thanks candidates of all parties and political persuasions who put themselves forward for election. Giving electors a real choice of who to vote for is an important part of our democratic process and when others moan about the council – at least you can say you put yourself forward to try to make a difference!
Mal Butler