East Wight MP Joe Robertson has invited Prime Minister Andy Burnham to visit the Isle of Wight as part of his cost-of-living tour of the UK to hear about the specific pressures facing Islanders.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister, Joe highlighted the cost of providing essential services, accessing education and running a business on the Island, as well as the cost of crossing the Solent.
Joe Robertson MP said:
“The Prime Minister says that Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles, like consumers being ripped off, must be accepted as part of life, which he doesn’t think is right. I agree with him.
On the Isle of Wight, we as residents and consumers are being ripped off by private equity interests which own and control our only car ferry services. It is beginning to look exactly like Westminster, particularly the Department for Transport, think we should accept that as part of life.
No other UK community is entirely beholden to private equity groups in order to take their car more than 20 miles from their front door and we do not think that is right. When I spoke to the Prime Minister earlier this year, he sounded sympathetic to the precarious position Islanders are in, specifically in relation to transport. He is now in the privileged position to do something about it.
I hope he will accept my invitation to visit the Isle of Wight, speak to everyday Islanders on the ground and hear about Island-specific cost-of-living pressures.”
