By Isle of Wight Observer
Dear Editor,
I want to explain to the Isle of Wight Council why devolution of our council would be a disaster.
It is just Labour trickery to deny us the May elections, as they know Reform is getting its candidates ready to have an influence on the IW Council.
A directly-elected mayor would be unknown to Islanders, and the Labour urban areas of Portsmouth and Southampton would overrule any of our representatives. That’s if Angela Rayner allowed us any representation.
How could we attend council meetings? It would be a dilution of democracy and the distancing of power from the people who live in rural areas if the local councils are closed.
There would also not be a localised approach to decision making, not for Isle of Wight council taxpayers anyway. It is also a discrimination against older people who do not have computers and could log in to see things online. Another Labour trickery as the older people would mostly be voting Conservative or Reform – anything but Labour.
Richard Quigley, MP, and Labour would support the change; of course they would.
Decisions would not be made close to our rural homes. I can only say that devolution suits Labour councils.
When the red brigade is finally voted out, it will be too late to change things back. That is why they are in such a hurry.
Patricia Almond, Whitwell