Joe Robertson has been selected as the candidate for the new Isle of Wight East constituency. Bob Seely currently represents the entire island as one constituency, but for the next election it shall be broken into two. Since Seely currently sits on a majority of 31.9 per cent, local Conservatives consider both seats “eminently winnable” – and Seely shall be standing in the western half.
Since 2021, Robertson has led the island council’s Conservative group. A former family solicitor, he now works as an adviser for a dementia charity and helped to cut the Labour majority in Erith and Thamesmead by a respectable 13.5 per cent in 2019.
Competing with Robertson in the final four were Ian Wellby – a self-described “committed Conservative” who works in asset management and is a former President of the Oxford University Conservative Association – Harriet Hadfield – a former TV broadcaster who now serves as a parish councillor – and Louise Brice, a former local councillor in Kent.
The selection process was marred by a little controversy when Robertson was reported to have distributed leaflets with Greg Hands that described himself as the “Next MP for East Wight”. One local Conservative suggested that Robertson had something of a “presumptive air”, having been beaten by Seely for the selection in 2017.
Local Conservatives described a slight air of “bewilderment” on the night when Robertson was joined by fellow members of Bembridge sailing club that he had signed up for the express purpose of voting with him – a tactic Wellby should have been familiar with from OUCA.
Nonetheless, such a move still didn’t help Robertson to win on the first ballot. “Almost 300” members turned out to vote in what was a very high turnout process, driven by, one local Conservative suggested to me, the island’s unique sense of identity and community. Robertson won on the second ballot against Hadfield after Wellby was knocked out.
Although each candidate performed well – with Hadfield described as a “great communicator” and Wellby praised for his ability to articulate “sound Conservative views” – Robertson’s success hardly came as a surprise. Each candidate sought to play up their personal connection to the area, so Bruce suffered from not currently living on the island, unlike the rest of the candidates.
Nevertheless, from the reports I have received it was a good-natured selection for a seat the Tories will be hoping to win by a comfortable margin next time around – ably assisted, I’m sure, by Robertson’s fellow sailors.
As ever, please contact me at william@conservativehome.com with any candidates hints and tips you might have.