Kate Lord-Brennan has announced she has resigned from all of her government roles.
She said this has been done to have more time to focus on constituency issues.
Ms Lord-Brennan has served at Minister for the Cabinet Office since the start of this administration and also as chair of the Public Service Commission, which is currently negotiating with unions over a dispute pay offer.
The Glenfaba and Peel MHK said by stepping down, she will be “able to turn my time and attention more fully to commitments and constituency needs as an MHK, outside of a government role, in a way that simply has not been possible for me before”.
She said: “This becomes more essential in light of the outcome of the North West Area Plan Public Inquiry and also other local issues.”
Letter in Full
“I understand there is consideration presently around potential appointments and changes in government. As any changes are up for discussion and being settled, I feel it is the appropriate time to step down as Minister for the Cabinet Office and with that, as Chair of the Public Services Commission (PSC), to focus on other matters.
“In doing so, I will be able to turn my time and attention more fully to commitments and constituency needs as an MHK, outside of a government role, in a way that simply has not been possible for me before.
“This becomes more essential in light of the outcome of the North West Area Plan Public Inquiry and also other local issues.
“I remain supportive and respectful of the government, of you as Chief Minister, and of the Council of Ministers and everything you are all working so hard to address.
“I am proud to have been able to contribute and participate in government as a Minister, in the Council of Ministers and as Chair of the PSC, to assist with the overall efforts and working for long term change and improvement.
“In this, it has been my particular honour and privilege to lead on the Island’s humanitarian response to the invasion of Ukraine, in a way the Island has never seen before, where we ultimately welcomed and supported more than 100 Ukrainians to the Island and to lead, shape and roll out initiatives as part of our Cost of Living Response in 2022 that went on to endure in various ways, such as the Summer Holiday Activity and Food pilot scheme, Community Warm Spaces, and the winter help advice line, and Isle of Man Help for Households website and booklet.
“In changing the law, I am very grateful to have gained support for the initiative to ban not only the sale, supply and import of Vaping products to under 18’s, but also their display and advertising to children. This was supported through the House of Keys and implemented quickly – but not as quickly as the initiative to safeguard, in law, the most vulnerable from the disconnection of their gas supply which threatened last winter. I am grateful to officers for meeting these political demands and making these things happen and also to have worked with them to conclude negotiations and arrangements with Manx Gas and Manx Utilities to ensure the rebate of £1.4 million for gas customers was received in winter 2022.
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to oversee the improved understanding, oversight, leadership and governance through the re-ordering of the Cabinet Office as a Department. And, as Chair of the PSC, to finally put in place the line of accountability between the Chief Officer of each department to the head of the civil service, the CEO, a blatant gap that had needed to be addressed since the start of the Ministerial system in the 1980’s, which was arguably the root cause of many historic issues and public expense. Similarly on the governance front, I was pleased to work to finalise the detail for Departmental Boards and Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) as now reflected in the government code, as well as establish an updated coherent whistleblowing policy and process for the public service
“Working with PSC lay members, I have started to reform the approach of the Public Services Commission, which should, in my view, have a greater role to audit and scrutinise aspects of the civil service and public service and to ingrain greater accountability, purpose and value, probably leading to “on the record” scrutiny sessions with the most senior posts. Various work is underway at a PSC level that must continue, and I hope the aims of the recruitment control framework, which I have worked to develop, can be brought in, in a practical way, and adopted by the Council of Ministers, and that PSC reporting will outline solid further requirements for change.
“There is still so much more that needs to be done at a PSC level, and I would be happy to contribute to the work under any new Chair.
“I would like to sincerely thank those who have given me particular political support and opinion in the areas under my responsibility, to the officials I have worked with especially through times of demand and change, of which there have been many, and to the non-executive directors that have given up their time to contribute their expertise to wider governance improvements and efficiencies being led from the centre of government
“I will look forward to being able to apply my energy and time now to other matters, knowing key work is well underway.”
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