Former Home Secretary and Conservative Leadership hopeful, James Cleverly MP, visited the Island yesterday. He was welcomed off the hovercraft by Isle of Wight East MP Joe Robertson, who introduced Mr Cleverly to local businesses in Ryde before going on to a Conservative members event at Wight Knuckle Brewery at the Nunwell Estate in Brading. They also visited Wight Shipyard with its famous Union Jack doors in East Cowes to see aluminium ferries being built.
In Ryde, the MPs visited Black Sheep Bar, Victoria Arcade and Robert Lee Barbers on Union Street before going on for an ice cream at Big Kanuna café on the beach.
Joe Robertson said, “James has visited the Island many times and it was great to welcome him back and introduce him to local residents and businesses. The tourism industry is so important to the East Wight economy and James heard for himself how high ferry prices are impacting the tourist economy. Small, family run businesses are the lifeblood of our Island economy, employing local people, and they need our support.”
Mr Cleverly told local Conservative members that he was pleased to be back on the Island again. “The Conservative Party needs to win back the trust of the British people and it needs to start in places like the Isle of Wight. You are fortunate to have Joe Robertson as your new energetic MP for the East who has already met with the Secretary of State for Transport to press the case for intervention on ferries. I want to be leader of the Conservative Party because I believe I am the right candidate to unite us so that we can deliver for the British public once again, and return two Conservative MPs here at the next election.”
The Members event was followed by a South African style BBQ at "Braai" – a collaboration between Heron restaurant, Nunwell Estate, Wight Whisky and Wight Knuckle Brewery – is based.
