30/10/2026
❗️LABOUR IS TAKING HAMPSHIRE AND THE ISLE OF WIGHT FOR GRANTED FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT REFUSAL TO BRING FORWARD MAYORAL ELECTION
❗️The Government has rejected a formal request to bring forward the first Hampshire and the Solent mayoral election to May 2027, insisting instead that residents must wait until May 2028 to elect their first mayor.
❗️The election, originally scheduled for May 2026, means Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight will now face a two-year delay to secure hundreds of millions of pounds, whilst the Government has prioritised billions going to Labour lead regions in the north of the country.
❗️This decision is an absolute disgrace. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are being held back by a Labour Government that is prioritising the North of England while taking the South for granted.
❗️We are being starved of the investment and opportunities enjoyed by regions in the North with established Labour mayors. It is becoming increasingly clear that this Government is more interested in supporting its political heartlands rather than delivering a fair deal for communities across the whole country.
❗️Hampshire and the Solent is one of Britain’s most important economic regions. We have internationally significant ports, world-leading maritime industries, defence capabilities, advanced manufacturing, tourism and thousands of ambitious businesses ready to invest and grow. Yet we are being denied the political leadership and full powers needed to unlock our potential.
❗️The Labour Government talks about economic growth, yet its actions are holding back one of the country’s most economically important regions. You cannot deliver growth by keeping regions who are ready, waiting for the powers and leadership they need to succeed.
❗️The North has benefited from powerful mayors who can champion their regions, negotiate directly with government ministers and attract billions of pounds of investment. I welcome investment in the North, but why should Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have to wait when we are ready and have confirmed that to the government?
❗️We contribute enormously to Britain’s economy. Our maritime and defence industries are internationally significant; our ports are gateways for international trade, and our businesses have huge potential to generate jobs and prosperity. We deserve a government that recognises that contribution and backs our ambitions.
❗️The people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight should not be treated as second-class citizens simply because of where they live!
❗️I am calling on the Government to urgently reconsider this decision, bring forward the mayoral election and guarantee that our region will not lose out on funding or investment because of its own unnecessary delays.
❗️Hampshire and the Isle of Wight deserves better. We deserve fair investment, genuine devolution and a mayor who can fight for our region on the national stage. I am ready to be the mayor our sub-region needs. I will not stop fighting for funding, powers and opportunities for local people.
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