Katie Hopkins has questioned the government over funding for the horse‑tram track after filming a video on Douglas Promenade during her visit to the island.
In the clip, Hopkins said the 2017 Tynwald decision to renovate the promenade included reinstating the full horse‑tram line to the Sea Terminal.
She said only part of the track was laid during the redevelopment and claimed money allocated for the full route “went somewhere.”
Hopkins said: “They renovated the whole thing, but they ran out of money, or the money went somewhere… it just stops randomly in the middle of nowhere.”
Tynwald has this week agreed to finish the tracks, allocating £3 million to complete the remaining section.
Hopkins also criticised local politicians who objected to her visit, saying she had “never cost the taxpayers here a penny,” while accusing the island’s leadership of losing “two to three million quid” on the tramway.
Hooper Hops In
Her comments prompted a response from Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper, who posted a breakdown of how £750,000 originally allocated for tramway works in 2020 was redirected during Covid‑era capital programme changes.
Hooper wrote: “The project was originally budgeted at £750k in 2020. This was reallocated to other prom works by Government in the 2020 Covid budget (the ‘purple book’). Somewhat hidden in the small print on page 12.”
He attached a section from the 2020-21 Budget Update noting: “A budget increase of £750,000 is offset by a reduction in the heritage rail budget.”
Hopkins replied: “So from £750k in 2020 to £2–3 million in 2026? That’s an annualised rate of inflation of 25%. Nothing adds up here.”
