My letter to the Primary supporters
With both Lib Dems and the Labour Party refusing to take part in the East Wight Primary Q&A meetings this month, I have also chosen not to attend as I would not want to get in the way of the process being fair.
However, anyone in attendance should be able to meet a Green Party representative if they have any questions, and can pick up a letter which outlines some key messages from me (see below). They will be very pleased to see you. There are still seats available in Shanklin, Ventnor, Ryde and Wroxall - get in contact with the Primary organisers to find out more.
Dear East Wight Primary supporters,
I had no plans to write to you this evening – I fully intended to be here at the Primary Q&A in person and I was really looking forward to meeting residents, listening to views and putting forward our plans for Isle of Wight East. I am disappointed and frustrated that we cannot meet today. The East Wight Primary team remain determined to engage as many voters as possible in the political and democratic process, and I wish them all the best for their future activities on the run up to the General Election later (or sooner!) this year.
If I was up at the front of the room I would have spoken of the damage that 14 years of Conservative government has done to our country: the impact of austerity cuts, the folly of Brexit, the culture wars, their inaction in face of the climate crisis, the corruption and hypocrisy during Covid, the appalling rise in the gap between the wealthy and the rest of us…. we really must make sure that they lose the next election. Massively. They deserve nothing less.
I would also have spoken about how it doesn’t need to be like this – IW East is going to be a brand new constituency. This is an exciting, once in a century chance to do things differently, work together, offer hope and bring about the vital changes we all need. Another Tory MP, especially in opposition, would have to toe the party line at Westminster. We barely see the one we’ve got. I support the East Wight Primary because it is about doing things differently, working together and putting the island first. All very admirable aims.
If I had been there this evening I would have told you about my work as national spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales - I travel across the country as the ‘shadow’ spokesperson for Education, including on tv, radio and at conferences. I would have talked about how the Green vote on the Isle of Wight is one of the biggest in the entire country – behind only Brighton Pavilion and Bristol West. I would have told you about my work sitting on the national executive for the party since 2020, in charge of Policy Development and helping to draft our 2024 election manifesto. I would have told you how I regularly meet with our Greens in Westminster, and our party leaders, and how I’m ready to hit the ground running as your new MP with a team in the House of Commons from day one. And I would have spoken about my current role as a classroom teacher in an island secondary school, my work as a community councillor, volunteer at various island events – and about how much I love our island and will put all my energies into improving the lives of everyone in our community.
Finally, I would have also spoken about how it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes an entire island to bring about change. Our local party have big plans – to tackle sewage on our beaches, the extortionate ferry prices, our overstretched NHS and to create greater opportunities for young people on the Isle of Wight. But we cannot do this without your help. We know that we can win this new Parliamentary seat, but we need to recruit a vast team of volunteers to deliver leaflets, raise funds and convince islanders that in 2024 we really can get a hardworking MP for the East Wight. Please get in touch!
Best regards,
Vix Lowthion