A bid to delay this year’s Budget has failed after members voted to suspend standing orders.
Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper criticised the short nature of the debate and argued that members should ignore it.
Mr Hooper said that members had not received proper details about the impact of changes made following last week’s Keys debate.
He added that a real term cut to the DHSC budget would mean more cuts in the health services which he said would be “draconian”.
The Lib Vannin leader said it was “impossible” for members to have a meaningful debate without knowing more about what is in the finer details and argued for the Budget to be taken in March.
Briefing
Onchan MHK Julie Edge said she totally agreed with Mr Hooper and said that MHKs had had a private members’ briefing and praised the u-turn over pensions changes.
However, she too warned about the cuts to the health service and said she could not support a budget that would lead to more cuts without a national debate.
She said: “We haven’t seen the Manx Care mandate for next year, we haven’t seen the operation plan for next year.”
“How can anyone in here today support a Budget when we don’t know the operation plan will be?”
However, Speaker Juan Watterson said that delaying the Budget wouldn’t achieve anything as the Budget isn’t published until the papers are laid in Tynwald.
He said that he understood how members feel, but said it should be moved.
Chris Thomas said that the government could release the Pink Book to the public to allow for independent analysis of the Budget and allow for the debate to be pushed back a week.
Mr Thomas said: “We are where we are.” And called on the Chief Minister to push the Budget back and allow islanders a real chance to debate the Budget.
Nothing
However, Alf Cannan said that “nothing” would be achieved by not supporting the standing orders and said he supported Mr Watterson’s comments.
He said: “It is simply destabilising and frankly irresponsible to prevent the Budget from going ahead today.”
Mr Cannan accused Mr Hooper, Ms Edge and Mr Thomas of “leading you down the garden path for their own political gains”.
He also criticised Mr Hooper after last year’s Manx Care debacle.
The Chief Minister said it was a “sound” way to deliver the Budget and called on members to continue with the Budget.
Dr Allinson said that if members refused to suspend standing orders the public would not get a chance to see the Budget.
Only six MHKs voted against suspending standing orders.
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