Dr Alex Allinson MHK praised several investment priorities of the budget, but he cautioned that short‑term, populist decision‑making risks undermining long‑term stability.
Allinson welcomed funding for health, social care, emergency services and national infrastructure, saying the budget invests in the areas that “mean the most for our community.”
He highlighted the role of frontline services during recent storms, noting they “work through the night to ensure public safety” and help keep the island “resilient and strong”.
Endorsement
He also endorsed investment in sports facilities ahead of the 2029 Island Games and the increased allocation of lottery duty to support the Year of the Manx Language, arguing that culture and sport “are key to our community identity and unite us, irrespective of where we originally came from”.
But the former minister’s strongest intervention came on tax policy.
Allinson cautioned against the government’s decision to raise the personal allowance by £2,250, a significantly larger increase than the £750 rise he planned to implement.
‘Difficult to justify’
He warned that the new measure, funded through a higher structural deficit, was “difficult to justify” given the island’s financial pressures.
He criticised what he called “populist politics,” saying politicians are often encouraged to “pull rabbits out of a hat on Budget Day to grab headlines.”
In a pointed remark aimed at the Chief Minister, Allinson said the new allowance rise amounted to “probably the most expensive rabbit the Isle of Man has ever seen, one that will be paid not by him, but by the generations to come”.
Despite his concerns, Allinson confirmed he would support the budget, urging the government to resist calls for austerity while maintaining long‑term financial discipline.
Dr Allinson’s speech can be listened to here:
