List of political parties in the Isle of Man

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This article lists political parties in the Isle of Man. Political parties played no official role in the Isle of Man before the 2006 elections.

A political party is an organized group of people, often with common views, who come together to contest elections and hold power in the government. The party agrees on some proposed policies and programmes, with a view to promoting the collective good or furthering their supporters' interests.

Isle of Man British Crown dependency

The Isle of Man, sometimes referred to simply as Mann, is a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann and is represented by a lieutenant governor. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

Contents

Active parties

Liberal Vannin Party

The Liberal Vannin Party (LVP) is a political party in the Isle of Man. It was founded in 2006 by Peter Karran, then an Independent MHK for Onchan. Karran had been, until 2004, a member of the Manx Labour Party.

Manx Labour Party

The Manx Labour Party is a political party on the Isle of Man that was founded in 1918.

Mec Vannin

Mec Vannin is a political party operating in the Isle of Man. Formed in 1962, it seeks to revoke the status of Man as a British self-governing Crown dependency and establish a completely sovereign state, which would be a republic.

At the 2001 election for the House of Keys, the Labour Party polled 17.3% of the vote and won 2 seats. The vast majority of seats at every election are won by independent candidates with no allegiance to any parties. At the 2006 election for the House of Keys, the newly formed Liberal Vannin Party won 2 seats: Onchan with Peter Karran and Douglas South with Bill Malarky. In 2007 they were also represented in local government gaining two seats in by elections. The Isle of Man Green Party was officially formed in August 2016 but chose not to endorse any candidates for the September 2016 general election.

House of Keys lower house (Isle of Man)

The House of Keys is the directly elected lower branch of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, the other branch being the Legislative Council.

Onchan village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man

Onchan is a village in the parish of Onchan on the Isle of Man. It is at the north end of Douglas Bay. Although administratively a village, it has the second largest population of settlements on the island, after Douglas, with which it forms a conurbation.

Peter Karran is a Manx politician, who is a former Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party and former Minister of Education and Children. He was a Member of the House of Keys for Middle and then Onchan from 1985 to 2016.

Political pressure groups

Alliance for Progressive Government

The Alliance for Progressive Government (APG), a political pressure group in the Isle of Man, was formed in 1991 as a grouping of members of the House of Keys (MHKs) who wanted to provide a coherent opposition to the Manx government. They were initially called the Alternative Policy Group, before changing their name to the Alliance for Progressive Government in 1998. At their formation they had five MHKs, and in the 1996 general election they had six members elected. Two more were elected at by-elections, giving them at one stage eight out of the 24 members of the House of Keys; but 3 MHKs resigned from the Alliance between 1996 and 2001. In the 2001 election they had three members elected.

The Positive Action Group (PAG) is a political pressure group formed on the Isle of Man in November 2006. They see that there should be three ‘core principles’ applying to the system of Government in the Isle of Man, namely open accountable government, rigorous control of public finances, and a fairer society for all. Towards this end they resolve that six steps be taken by November 2011 to implement these ‘core principles’:

  1. The people to have the right to elect Legislative Council of the Isle of Man members: - before this is implemented, no MLC may become a minister.
  2. The number of government ministries to be reduced.
  3. The number of departmental members to be reduced.
  4. Those members whose position has been lost to be diverted to backbench positions to provide proper scrutiny and to hold government to account.
  5. An Independent Audit Commission to be set up.
  6. Independent Ombudsman scheme to be set up; and Tynwald to pass:-

Mec Vannin, although an electoral party in its early years (several MHKs are ex-members) has evolved into a quasi-pressure group.

Defunct parties

Independent Labour (Isle of Man) Isle of Man political party

The Independent Labour was a political party in the Isle of Man.

The National Party was a party in the Isle of Man that identified itself with the UK Conservatives. They were active in the period between World War I and World War II in opposing the activities of the Manx Labour Party. However, unlike the Manx Labour Party, they were unsuccessful in establishing themselves over the longer term and they folded.

The Manx National Party was an offshoot of Mec Vannin, a nationalist party in the Isle of Man. Divisions within Mec Vannin caused the split in 1977, and the single Mec Vannin member of the House of Keys transferred his loyalties to the new party. When Craine ceased to be an MHK in 1981 the Manx National Party soon ceased to exist.

See also

Politics of the Isle of Man

The government of the Isle of Man is a parliamentary representative democracy. As a Crown Dependency, it is not subordinate to the government of the United Kingdom. That government, however, is responsible for defence and external affairs and could intervene in the domestic affairs of the island under its residual responsibilities to guarantee "good government" in all Crown dependencies. The Monarch of the United Kingdom is also the head of state of the Isle of Man, and generally referred to as "The Queen, 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". Her 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.

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Related Research Articles

Peter Alfred Craine was a baker and a politician from the Isle of Man and a Member of the House of Keys (MHK) for Douglas South.

The Manx are Celtic people originating in the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea in northern Europe. Their native culture has significant Norse and English influences.

Allan Bell Chief Minister of the Isle of Man

Allan Robert Bell is a Manx politician who was the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on 11 October 2011. He was an Independent Member of the House of Keys for Ramsey from 1984 to September 2016, and served in several different ministerial roles. He was replaced as Chief Minister on 4 October 2016.

William "Bill" Mackay Malarkey is a Manx politician, who was elected Liberal Vannin MHK for Douglas South but later defected from the party and sat as an independent. In the 2011 general election he lost his seat to Liberal Vannin candidate Kate Beecroft. Re-elected at by-election in May 2015 as an independent candidate. Retained seat for Douglas South in September 2016.

2011 Brighton and Hove City Council election

Elections to Brighton and Hove City Council were held on 5 May 2011, in line with other local elections in the United Kingdom. The whole council, a unitary authority, was up for election with 54 councillors elected from 21 wards.

Bernard Moffatt was born in Peel, Isle of Man in April 1946. Both his mother and father were Manx. He was educated at Peel Clothworkers School, a stroke of luck for someone who would become a leading figure in the Nationalist movement, because at that time schools which promoted Manx cultural affairs were the exception. Peel School, although then under the headship of a Yorkshireman, was one such, so Manx History and Culture was on the agenda. Manx dancing classes at the School were organised by Mona Douglas, an icon of the Manx cultural revival, and Moffatt was enrolled in one of those teams.

Kathleen Joan "Kate" Beecroft is a Manx politician who is the current Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party and has been a Member of the House of Keys for Douglas South since 2011.

1919 Manx general election

General elections were held in the Isle of Man between 27 October and 6 November 1919. Independent candidates won a majority of seats in the House of Keys.

1924 Manx general election

General elections were held in the Isle of Man between 28 October and 6 November 1924. Independent candidates won a majority of seats in the House of Keys.

1929 Manx general election

General elections were held in the Isle of Man between 7 and 15 November 1929. Independent candidates won a majority of seats in the House of Keys.

1934 Manx general election

General elections were held in the Isle of Man between 23 and 29 November 1934. Independent candidates won a majority of seats in the House of Keys.

Isle of Man Green Party

The Isle of Man Green Party is a green political party in the Isle of Man founded in August 2016 by Andrew Newton. The party is currently led by Andrew Newton and deputy leader Kylie Rollins.