Manx Radio nationalism and a warning from history!

Reacting to the recent Manx Radio / Treasury Minister ‘love fest’ one commentator on the CL Facebook site said that Manx Radio should be ‘left to die a natural death’.

Strangely whilst understanding the reasons behind the sentiment I can’t share them. I have an unerring personal habit of sticking with principles once adopted including those adopted 55 years ago.

I’ve been a nationalist since the Party (Mec Vannin) was founded in the early 1960s indeed it won’t be long until its 60th birthday - hope I’m around. I’ve had a chequered relationship with Mec Vannin in that time. The Party tried to throw me out in the mid 1970s. In the end those who plotted the coup d'etat were consigned to oblivion themselves. Then in the 1990s when as Chair I waxed ‘a tad soft’ on finance sector policy I had a close call again. However eventually the Party drew back from executing a metaphorical death sentence on me and I was allowed to carry on.

Eventually I was nominated to the role of President - a titular position which is the equivalent of being put out to pasture - good enough for an old horse like me.

Over the years of course Mec Vannin has had a chequered relationship with Manx Radio but as it was nationalist policy right at the very outset of the Party all those years ago that we have a MANX NATIONAL RADIO STATION we’ve forgiven them their many and various indiscretions. Indeed just over a quarter of a century ago when moves seemed afoot to privatise the station myself and current Chair, Mark Kermode, met with the main bidder for the station to express our unease.

It’s not a perfect vehicle for news delivery by any means and does seem (perhaps it’s only a perception) to be a little partisan towards government.

I mused today about history ironies because in those very early 1990s when government were seriously considering axing the Nations station the Treasury Minister of the days name had a familiar ring!

Perhaps in these straitened times Manx Radio should not be so sure that post Brexit when the real ‘meat cleaver’ is taken out by government they won’t be on the chopping board again.

I wonder will nationalists once again rally to the call as they did in the 1960s and 1980/90s!

Image: A youthful me with another great nationalist and Mec Vannin President. We were both great supporters of the principle of a Manx National Radio Station unlike some politicians!

Bernard Moffatt