Earlier this month Southern Water pledged to me a commitment to significantly reduce sewage and storm overflows into the seas around the Island.

Now that we have left the EU and can more easily improve our environmental laws, the Island will become one of a small number of national ‘pathfinder’ sites, acting as an example of best practice.

This is great news for cleaning up our rivers and beaches, although we should not overstate the issue.

The water around the Isle of Wight, as the data shows, is clean, but what we should now be ending is the casual acceptance of storm overflow, carrying waste into the rivers and sea.

The Environment Bill that the Conservatives have taken through parliament is ground-breaking legislation that will make this a reality.

I am grateful to everyone who campaigned in this national campaign including Surfers Against Sewage, Islanders and mainland MPs who persuaded Government to act.

I want the Isle of Wight to be at the front of the queue for investments and improvements — and that means getting us included in pilot projects and pathfinder schemes.

It’s all part of getting a better deal for the Island and ensuring the Island comes first, not last.

In recent years, working with others, we saved Sandown school from closure and secured priority status for the Island from the Arts Council, aiding all future funding bids.

We secured the future of Island Line and, working with the Isle of Wight Council, Local Enterprise Partnership, the Department for Transport and Southwestern Railway got a £26 million upgrade to the rolling stock, stations and track — the first significant investment in more than 50 years.

Working with the previous council, we secured the Venture Quays site for the Isle of Wight, at good value, to ensure the future of shipbuilding on the Island.

We’ve also got almost all of the Isle of Wight included in the Solent freeport area.

In 2019, I successfully lobbied ministers to support the excellent bid put in by the Isle of Wight NHS Trust for its multi-million-pound upgrade in facilities at St Mary’s.

In late 2021, I ensured that the Island’s successful Levelling Up project was included in the first round of bids.

In November, the government confirmed that the Island’s £6million pound bid had been accepted.

The money will help jobs and apprenticeships and support an expansion of our shipbuilding industry.

So, there is a lot being delivered for the Island; to create jobs, to improve transport and yes, to improve the environment too.