The Clerk of Tynwald is the chief administrator [1] of the Court of Tynwald in the Isle of Man. He also serves as secretary to the House of Keys and counsel to the Speaker. He assists the president in managing the business of the House of Keys, keeps records of proceedings, and advises members on bills. He provides legal and parliamentary advice to all members and is therefore always a qualified lawyer. [2]
The current Clerk of Tynwald is Jonathan King LLB, who was previously a Deputy Clerk of Tynwald. [3]
The government of the Isle of Man is a parliamentary representative democracy. The Monarch of the United Kingdom is also the head of state of the Isle of Man, and generally referred to as "The King, Lord of Mann". Legislation of the Isle of Man defines "the Crown in right of the Isle of Man" as separate from the "Crown in right of the United Kingdom". His representative on the island is the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, but his role is mostly ceremonial, though he does have the power to grant Royal Assent.
Tynwald, or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald or Tynwald Court, is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of two chambers, known as the branches of Tynwald: the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council. When the two chambers sit together, they become "Tynwald Court".
The Legislative Council is the upper chamber of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man. The abbreviation "LegCo" is often used.
Tynwald Day is the National Day of the Isle of Man, usually observed on 5 July.
Peel is a seaside town and small fishing port in the Isle of Man, in the historic parish of German but administered separately. Peel is the third largest town in the island after Douglas and Ramsey but the fourth largest settlement, as Onchan has the second largest population but is classified as a village. Until 2016 Peel was also a House of Keys constituency, electing one Member of the House of Keys (MHK), who, from September 2015, was Ray Harmer. Peel has a ruined castle on St Patrick's Isle, and a cathedral, seat of the Diocese of Sodor and Man.
The Manx Labour Party is a political party on the Isle of Man that was founded in 1918.
The Isle of Man partially elects its legislature at the national level. The High Court of Tynwald consists of two chambers. The House of Keys has 24 members, elected in a general election for a five-year term in 12 two-seat constituencies. Each voter has two votes and in each constituency the two candidates with the most votes are elected. The Legislative Council has 11 members: three ex-officio members and eight other members who are elected by the House of Keys for a five-year term. Political parties do not play an important role on the Island. The Isle of Man lowered its voting age from 18 to 16 in 2006.
An Act of Tynwald is a statute passed by Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man.
The following state officials are some of the most important in the Isle of Man. They take place in the annual Tynwald Day procession and have precedence or importance at other occasions.
Noel Quayle Cringle OBE was President of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man, from 2000 to 2011.
The Council of Ministers is the principal executive organ of the Isle of Man Government. Its role is similar to, though not identical with, that of the Cabinet in the United Kingdom. Until 1990, its title was the Executive Council.
The President of Tynwald is the presiding officer at the sittings of Tynwald Court in Douglas and is elected by the members of Tynwald from amongst their number. The first elected president, Charles Kerruish, was elected in 1990 and held office until his retirement in 2000.
Stephen Charles Rodan MLC is a Manx politician who served as the President of Tynwald from 2016 to 2021 and is a former Minister of the Isle of Man Government and former MHK for the constituency of Garff. He was first elected to the seat in a by-election in 1995.
John Ramsey Houghton MHK is a former Isle of Man politician who served as Member of the House of Keys for Douglas North until losing his seat in the 2016 Manx General Election. He has two daughters.
Leonard Ian Singer MHK MR Pharm S is a British politician and pharmacist based in Ramsey, Isle of Man.
The Old House of Keys is the former meeting place of the House of Keys, the lower house of Tynwald, the Isle of Man's parliament. It is located across the street from Castle Rushen in Castletown, the former capital of the Isle of Man, in the south of the island. The building was used as the House of Keys from 1821 until 1874, when the parliament was moved to Douglas.
Geoffrey Boot is an English-born politician who until 2021 served as a Member of the House of Keys for Glenfaba and Peel. Before moving to the Isle of Man, Boot also served as a Conservative Councillor and Mayor for Sandgate in Kent.
Laurence David Skelly MLC is a Manx politician, who has served as President of Tynwald since July 2021.
Alfred Louis Cannan MHK is an independent Member of the House of Keys for Ayre & Michael and is the current Chief Minister of the Isle of Man. He was previously the Minister for the Treasury.
Robert Howard Quayle is the former chief minister for the Isle of Man, between 4 October 2016. and 12 October 2021. He previously served as the minister for Health and Social Care, until the elections in September 2016.