WITH a General Election due to take place in December, the Isle of Wight County Press has taken a look at the candidates confirmed so far.

The UK is set to go to the polls on December 12 after MPs yesterday (Tuesday) backed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's call for an election following months of Brexit deadlock.

The Commons supported the election by 438 votes to 20. The bill is still to be approved by the House of Lords but could become law by the end of the week.

On the Island, four candidates are set to stand against sitting MP Bob Seely, who was reselected by the Isle of Wight Conservative Association earlier this year.

Brexit-supporting Mr Seely, who was elected in 2017, has been campaigning for an Island Deal to secure more government funding for the Island, and called for the Island's 10,000 homes target to be lowered.

Teacher Vix Lowthion, who has campaigned against Brexit and attended climate strike protests, will once again stand for the Green Party. She lives in Newport and is also the party's national education spokesperson.

Her 12,915 votes in the 2017 election, where she placed third behind Labour, were the second highest for the Green Party nationally.

Nick Stuart, a former civil servant who lives in Brighstone, was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate in September.

He said: "The centre ground of British politics has been abandoned by a lurch to the left by Labour and a takeover by an absurd, incompetent Conservative leadership.

"Europe is the major issue that divides us but there are so many things where we agree with the vast majority of the Island voters, from housing to the environment, the NHS, social care and transport."

Peter Wiltshire, a businessman who lives in Bedford but has a second home on the Isle of Wight, will represent the Brexit Party.

He has called for a 'clean break' Brexit and tougher immigration rules.

Isle of Wight Councillor Karl Love, who represents East Cowes, said he intended to run as an independent candidate, concentrating on local issues.

He said: "I am putting Island people at the very top of the political agenda and above tribal politics.

"Island people certainly know I’m here to represent them in government and I dare to be different in my approach."

The Labour Party has not yet selected a candidate.

Island Labour chair Julian Critchley stood in 2017 and came second.

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