Kate Costain

Last updated

Anthony Beecroft
​
​
(m. 2005⁠–⁠2019)​
Kate Costain
MHK
Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 2014
Children1

Kathleen Joan Costain [1] is a Manx politician who is a former Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party and was a Member of the House of Keys for Douglas South from 2011 to 2020.

Contents

She was Kathleen Beecroft until her divorce in 2019, after which she reverted to her maiden name Costain. [2]

Early life

Kathleen Joan Costain was the fourth of five children born to parents Joan and Norman Costain. The family lived at Ballafletcher farm in Tromode. Costain received her qualifications through night school. [1]

Career

Costain worked as an accountant before entering politics.

She stood unsuccessfully for the Liberal Vannin Party in Middle in the 2006 Manx general election but later became a Braddan Commissioner from 2007 to 2011. Beecroft served as Chairman of the Liberal Vannin Party from 2008 to 2009. [3] She stood unsuccessfully again in Douglas East in a by-election in 2010, coming second and only seven votes behind Chris Robertshaw who won. [4]

In the 2011 Manx general election Beecroft was elected for the Liberal Vannin Party in Douglas South, becoming one of three Liberal Vannin MHKs.

In February 2014, Peter Karran, the Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party, renounced his leadership in favour of Beecroft. Karran said that it "was time for a change." [5] She once revealed aspirations to bring more women into the House of Keys and to field a Liberal Vannin candidate in every constituency in the 2016 Manx general election. [6] At the 2016 election Liberal Vannin initially fielded only 4 candidates in the 12 constituencies, with one of those resigning from the party on the day of the election. [7]

Beecroft was Minister for Health and Social Care from 2016 until 2018. She was asked by the Chief Minister to resign as minister in January 2018 in controversial circumstances after two political members had resigned from her Department in 2017 and one LibVan MHK had resigned from the party.

She resigned as an MHK in July 2020. [8]

Personal life

Costain married Anthony Beecroft in 2005; they separated in 2019. [9] Costain has one son from a previous relationship. [1]

Electoral performance

House of Keys elections

Date of electionConstituencyPartyVotes% of votesResult
2006 general election Middle Liberal Vannin Party 54828.5Not elected
2010 by-election Douglas East Liberal Vannin Party38125.3Not elected
2011 general election Douglas South Liberal Vannin Party1,19129.5Elected
2016 general election Douglas South Liberal Vannin Party1,13436.0Elected

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kate Beecroft née Costain for Middle" (PDF). IOM Elections. 2006. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  2. ↑ LibVan leader's name change, Manx Independent , 9 November 2019
  3. ↑ "Kate Beecroft MHK". Liberal Vannin Party. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Kathleen Joan BEECROFT MHK (Douglas South)". Tynwald - Parliament of the Isle of Man. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Vannin, Ellan (24 February 2014). "Kate Beecroft succeeds Peter Karran as Liberal Vannin leader". BBC News. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  6. ↑ Darbyshire, Adrian. "New Liberal Vannin leader Kate Beecroft says party is getting results". IOM Today. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Manx Radio. "Ayres resigns from Lib Van". Manx Radio. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Tynwald Court Hansard for 21 July 2020
  9. ↑ "Fraudster jailed after unlawfully selling property". BBC News. 4 July 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
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