Things can only better. Can’t they?
The final sitting of Tynwald was sadly a fitting finale to this parliament, the House of Keys in particular.
The only glimmer of hope might be the general election in September. The House of Keys Class of 2021 is dismissed.
The convoluted conclusion of last week’s proceedings was a real low point. Enmities exploded and the last vestiges of courtesy and competence appeared to leave the building.
What major issue of international importance was the cause of this collapse of credibility?
It was a debate about a parliamentary committee report into complaints about how one MHK, Kate Lord-Brennan, said some pretty strong things in a rather colourful way about Lawrie Hooper.
Clockwork Soldiers
As Tynwald members turned their attention to this and the recommended censure of KLB, they began to resemble a battalion of clockwork toy soldiers trying to march out of a paper bag.
Options for a reasonable way out of their predicament were clearly visible, but rather than take any of them, the clockwork toy soldiers were more interested in turning around and butting into each other.
All to an unpleasant undercurrent of points being scored and scores being settled.
To summarise, the Standards Committee investigated the complaints following KLB’s Facebook frenzy. It compiled a report, which was expected to appear on the Tynwald Order Paper last week. But it did not. Then someone demanded that it should. There was a debate about whether to have a debate (including an attempt to adjourn the debate about whether to have a debate).
And finally, there was the debate on the report and recommended censure of KLB.
Awkward
The debate was presided over by Juan Watterson, who was a member of the Tynwald Standards Committee until he became President of Tynwald on Tuesday.
To sceptical eyes, that might seem a little awkward. But given that anyone in their right mind would run a mile before agreeing to preside over what was set to follow, it was deemed fine.
It was also a shame/awkward that, by the time the debate took place, five MHKs, including Hooper, were unable to be present to vote.
Still, we got a result. Report received. No censure.
Even getting to that stage was painful. An amendment had suggested the same outcome but failed to gain enough support. This was probably because someone remembered that, without the aid of an amendment, they could just vote separately on the different parts of the same motion before them: first part to receive the report, second part to censure KLB (or not, if members disagreed).
This was the simple next step to take when the amendment failed. Sadly, there was then a bid for a re-vote on the amendment, combining the individual votes of MLCs and MHKs into one ballot. One snag. It would have to be in October. (Not even the same MHKs voting.)
It took the pleas of KLB herself for that move to be dropped and to allow the original motion to be voted on in two parts. Hey presto: report received, no censure.
Does any of that make sense? Probably not.
But it does sum up that we are truly at the end of the line with this political grouping.
Shambles
This was the final time MHKs were meant to be performing their democratic, parliamentary roles, ahead of a general election
And it ended with a shambles that surprised few.
Over this five-year term we have seen our representatives not understand the full suite of parliamentary processes available to help them get things done.
We have seen them not understand or choose to not understand the important principles of scrutiny and accountability when railroading through legislation without following due process.
And this week we found they didn’t like their own code of conduct and disciplinary process, the setting of which was their responsibility.
That’s right, they make their own rules, then bleat about being expected to follow them.
It seems some in Tynwald really do not like each other. Worse, they respect neither their colleagues, nor the standards expected for parliamentary discourse and behaviour.
All this has been beyond exasperating for those who care about our democracy, It was so bad that, after following proceedings last week, Charlie Morrey and I needed to resort to podcast therapy.
We Need Change
No doubt all 24 MHKs started their terms with good intentions. There are still some for whom I have high hopes, as long as they are not dragged down further by the collective behaviour of others.
But we need change.
There’s an election on the way.
The Class of 2026 must surely have a very different look.