The House of Keys swings into action tomorrow and will start with a bang.
Kind of.
Yes, we will see MHKs, hopefully, select a new Chief Minister on October 13.
But we have a new format this time, approved in 2024. It’s as if the outgoing House of Keys wanted to leave a parting gift for their successors.
Consequently, we do not go directly to the vote after nominations. Someone – or several people – decided that was too straight forward.
Instead, a provision has been made for MHKs to table questions to the candidates.
So the order of proceedings is roughly, opening statements from candidates, MHKs’ questions, closing statements from candidates. And then a decision.
This is No Riverdance
In many ways, it is reminiscent of the Eurovision Song Contest, where there’s always a show between the initial performances and the recap and voting.
But this question time session is no Riverdance.
The denouement will come after closing statements, when we discover whether MHKs choose newcomer Kirrie Jenkins, from Arbory, Castletown and Malew, or the experienced Chris Thomas, from Douglas Central.
It has been portrayed as new versus old but, as more than one of the newbies has mentioned to me, many of them met for the first time less than a month ago, so is it realistic to expect the 15 fresh faces to be a cohesive group?
The previous 24 couldn’t manage it afer five years.
Not entirely unrelated, why would we think the old timers would stick together?
Anyway, there’s been plenty said already about the prize fight at the top of the bill.
Let’s have a look at the questions .
Clearly, a three-hour hustings meeting last week was not enough for MHKs to form their opinions, so we have 18 queries tabled.
Will any make a difference to how people will vote? Hmm.
Induction Opportunity Missed?
Given recent comments about whether MHKs need to attend the many induction courses offered to them after the election, I can only surmise that, if there was a training session on how to prepare a clear question that gets right to the point, then attendance was very low.
We attach below a copy of the entire question paper.
A summary of subjects to be raised includes wind farms, the economy, the economy, giving young people opportunities, making Tynwald a better workplace, 100-day action plans, care homes, one question about something asked “this morning” – which suggests impressive foresight – priorities, priorities, how many new people are going to get a ministerial job, service delivery, decision-making, and a couple of more pointed and specific questions on matters such as improving mental health services and extending childcare credit to younger children.
Those last two mentioned may actually bring answers that people without nerd degrees in politics can relate to.
One upside to the lengthy question paper is there will be plenty of opportunity for those in the public gallery to sneak outside for a vape break without fear of missing the important bit.
The Important Bit
After the questions, we get closing statements and should probably check to see whether either candidate has changed their mind over anything.
It’s also an opportunity to ponder whether their performances were any better than the aforementioned hustings meeting last week, which appeared to leave a lot of people underwhelmed.
It’s worth remembering, whoever gets more votes in the head-to-head contest will also need to get 13 ‘confirmatory’ votes afterwards.
Otherwise we might have to do it all again.
Just let that sink in …
It all starts at 10am.
Here is the Question Paper:
And here is the order paper:
