How much investment for the Isle of Wight was secured by MP Bob Seely?

May I thank the County Press for printing Bob Seely’s reply to my recent letter.

It’s great that the County Press is allowing some political debate in its letter pages ahead of the forthcoming General Election, and that our MP, Bob Seely, is engaging.

Let’s start with what we know. We know that Bob Seely campaigned enthusiastically during the last general election on delivering the ‘Island Deal’ along with wishing to ‘be respected for the substance of what you do’.

The Island Deal, £6.4m a year, was independently calculated by academics at the University of Portsmouth as being the additional funding required to deliver services on the Island equal to those on the mainland.

Mr Seely has failed to deliver the Island Deal. Fact.

• Read more: Row breaks out over who secured government money for the Island
• Read more: Island Deal would have helped council, meeting hears
• Read more: Bob Seely says there's other money despite it not being called "Island Deal"

The Island Deal would have netted the Isle of Wight Council in excess of £30m, interestingly similar to the council's declared shortfall in revenue.

It would have undoubtedly secured better services, and who knows, possibly even a reduction in Council Tax.

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Bob talks about £175 million capital investment being made on the Island, which is excellent news.

What I would like to know, and I guess many CP readers would like to know is, how much of this £175 million capital investment was secured by Mr Seely personally? The substance of what you do.

Hopefully this is a fair question which Mr Seely can answer in a detailed and unambiguous way without the political spin.