Further blow to Manx political credibility

Elections have just taken place to the Legislative Council (Manx: Yn Choonceil Slattyssagh), which is the upper chamber of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man (Mannin). It is often referred to as "LegCo". To be more accurate they are less elections and more sham elections. The LegCo consists of eleven Members (MLCs): Eight elected members and three ex officio members made up of the Bishop of Sodor and Man, the President of Tynwald, who has the casting vote, and the Attorney General, who is non-voting. The upper chamber is not elected by the public, but by members of the House of Keys. The House of Keys (Manx: Yn Kiare as Feed) being the directly elected 24 members of the lower branch of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man. The Council does not usually originate legislation, but  reviews draft legislation originating from the House of Keys.

The lack of democracy in the selection of the upper house has been highlighted for many years by the Manx political party Mec Vannin, the Mannin Branch of the Celtic League and other political reformers who campaign for a more democratic and transparent form of government on the Isle of Man. The MLCs are elected by the members of the House of Keys by secret ballot for a term of five years. This year five new MLC's were being selected to a body that is supposed to review the legislation of those that selected them. This has less to do with democracy and more to do with patronage, with those placed in the LegCo being described by many as nodding donkeys. They all do quite well out of it though, with MHK/MLCs setting their own average salary of £50,000 and more in many instances. This at a time when most people on the Island are living on considerably less and suffering from levels of government incompetence that is causing increasing alarm.

As if the whole process of the selection of MLC's was not disturbing enough, this year Speaker Juan Watterson banned some members of the press from attending the Legislative Council election. The whole process of election to the Legislative Council has again been exposed as a sham which brings Manx politics into disrepute. Along with other much needed constitutional reforms, it is clear that there should be no non elected members to either the House of Keys or to the Legislative Council. Election to the Legislative Council needs to be by popular vote so that Manx people can believe and have trust in the integrity of their government.