| Legislative Council | |
| Native Name: | Yn Choonceil Slattyssagh |
| House Type: | Upper house |
| Body: | Tynwald |
| Election1: | 20 July 2021 |
| Members: | 11 |
| Structure1: | Legislative Council of the Isle of Man as of Apr 2020.svg |
| Structure1 Res: | 300px |
| Session Room: | The Wedding Cake - geograph.org.uk - 566474.jpg |
| Website: | www.tynwald.org.im/council |
The Legislative Council (Manx: Yn Choonceil Slattyssagh) is the upper chamber of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man. The abbreviation "LegCo" is often used.[1]
It consists of eleven members (MLCs):
Historically, most or all elected MLCs were former MHKs, but this practice has now much reduced or ceased.
Formerly, the Lieutenant Governor presided over the Legislative Council and over Tynwald Court (a joint session of the Council and the House of Keys). Now, however, the President of Tynwald, who is chosen by the whole Tynwald for a five-year term, is the ex officio President of the Legislative Council, and presides over both the Legislative Council and Tynwald Court, except that the Lieutenant Governor presides once a year on Tynwald Day.
Furthermore, the Church of England Bishop of Sodor and Man and the Attorney General have seats on the Legislative Council. The Bishop is a voting member, the Attorney General is a non-voting member, and the President has the casting vote.
The Council does not usually originate legislation; most of the time, it reviews draft legislation originating in the House of Keys. However, it is possible for legislation to originate in the Council: a recent example is the Equality Act 2017.[2] [3]
The MLCs are elected by the members of the House of Keys for a term of five years. Four MLCs retire at a time, and four new MLCs are then elected. An MLC must be at least 21 years old and resident in the Isle of Man. Historically the election procedure has been cumbersome, and on some occasions in recent years the election has required many ballots, stretching over a period of weeks or even months. However the Standing Orders of the House of Keys regarding the election of MLCs were amended on 4 April 2017, and a relevant Guidance Note was issued by the Speaker of the House of Keys in June 2017. In 2018, only one ballot was required, although some felt that that was at the cost of allowing members to vote for an excessive number of candidates (one member voted for 13 candidates out of 15 and another for 11).[4] [5]
A motion was proposed in the Keys on 28 January 2020, shortly before the 2020 MLC election, which would have prevented MHKs voting for more candidates than there are places to be filled, but this was rejected.
In 2020, again only one ballot was required, and members voted for an average of about 4 candidates each. In 2023, again only one ballot was required, and members voted for an average of about 5 candidates each.
For many years there has been considerable debate about the functioning of Tynwald, and specifically about the composition, method of election, and functions of the Legislative Council. In the past, a number of reforms were made in the composition of the Legislative Council, which are set out below. In 2016 Lord Lisvane was asked to carry out a review of the functioning of Tynwald.[6] Among his recommendations were:
However there has been little action to implement these recommendations.
The Lieutenant Governor was removed as Presiding Officer of Tynwald and replaced by a member of Tynwald elected by the Members of the High Court of Tynwald as President of Tynwald. (Currently only MHKs are electors.) The President of Tynwald is also a member of the Legislative Council and presides at its sittings. The members are thus:
The non-ex officio members are elected by the House of Keys for terms which end at the end of February immediately before the fifth anniversary of their election.
| Name | Position | Tenure | Predecessor |
|---|---|---|---|
| President of Tynwald | 2021–2026 | Steve Rodan | |
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | Since 2017 | Robert Paterson | |
| Walter Wannenburgh | Attorney-General | Since 2022 | John Quinn |
| Tanya August-Hanson | Elected members | 2018–2028 | rowspan="8" |
| Paul Craine | 2021–2028 | ||
| Diane Kelsey | |||
| Peter Greenhill | 2020–2025 | ||
| Bill Henderson | |||
| Rob Mercer | |||
| Kerry Sharpe | |||
| Dawn Kinnish | 2023–2028 |
| Year | Reason for change | Previous | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 March 2023 | Scheduled election | Tanya August-Hanson Paul Craine Diane Kelsey Marlene Maska | Tanya August-Hanson (elected) Paul Craine (elected) Diane Kelsey (elected) Dawn Kinnish (elected) Marie Birtles Brian Brumby Gary Clueit Kirrie Anne Jenkins Conor Keenan David Prictor Peter Reid |
| January 2022 | Death of John Quinn | ||
| 23 November 2021 | Election of two MLCs as MHKs | Jane Poole-Wilson Kate Lord-Brennan | Paul Craine (elected) Diane Kelsey (elected) Bill Shimmins Corelli Bentham Craig Brown MaryBeth Coll Conor Keenan |
| In 2021 Steve Rodan reached the end of his term as President and was replaced by Laurence Skelly. | |||
| 12 March 2020 | Scheduled election | David Cretney Tim Crookall Bill Henderson Kerry Sharpe | Peter Greenhill (elected) Bill Henderson (elected) Robert Mercer (elected) Kerry Sharpe (elected) |
| Danielle Bell Michelle Haywood Haafizah Hoosen Carole Lillywhite Zahed Miah | |||
| Scheduled election, and casual vacancy by resignation[7] | |||
| 2017 | Casual vacancy by resignation | Tony Wild | |
| 2015 | Scheduled election | ||
| Note: As on other occasions, the 2015 elections took place over several sessions and many ballots. These candidates did not all take part in all the ballots. For the same reason it would not be useful to give the number of votes cast for each candidate. | |||
| 2013 | Scheduled election | ||
| 2011 | Casual vacancy by elevation to President of Tynwald | Clare Christian | |
| 2011 | Casual vacancy by resignation | Noel Cringle | |
| 2011 | Appointment of Attorney General, following resignation | John Corlett QC | Stephen Harding QC |
| 2010 | Scheduled election | ||
| 2008 | Scheduled election | ||
| 2008 | Appointment of Bishop of Sodor and Man | Graeme Paul Knowles | Robert Paterson |
| 2007 | Casual vacancies by resignation | ||
| 2005 | Scheduled election | ||
| 2003 | Scheduled election, and casual vacancy by resignation | ||
| 2003 | Appointment of Bishop of Sodor and Man, following resignation | Noël Jones | Graeme Knowles |
| 2002 | Casual vacancy by death | Norman Radcliffe | |
| 2000 | Scheduled election | ||
| 2000 | Casual vacancy by resignation of the President of Tynwald | Charles Kerruish | |
| 1998 | Appointment of Attorney General, following promotion to First Deemster | Mike Kerruish QC | John Corlett QC |
| 1998 | Scheduled election | ||
| 1995 | Scheduled election | ||
| 1994 | Casual vacancy by death | W K Quirk | |
| 1993 | Scheduled election | ||
| 1990 | Scheduled election | ||
| Name | Position | Tenure | Replacing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | 2008–2016 | Graeme Paul Knowles | ||
| Attorney General | 2011–2013 | John Corlett | ||
| Alan Crowe | Elected member | 1998–2002 | Brian Barton | |
| Elected member | 2007–2015 | Leonard Singer | ||
| Elected member | 2005–2015 | Dominic Delaney | ||
| Elected member | 2005–2015 | Ray Kniveton | ||
| Elected member | 2010–2015 | George Waft | ||
| Elected member | 2011–2017 | Clare Christian | ||
| Elected member | 2008–2013 | Pam Crowe | ||
| Elected member | 1982–2013 | George Swales | ||
| Elected member | 2003–2006 | Alan Crowe | ||
| Arthur Christian Luft | Attorney General | 1972–1974 | Lay | |
| Elected member | 1988–1998 | Ian Anderson | ||
| Attorney General | 1974–1980 | Arthur Luft | ||
| Attorney General | 1980–1993 | Jack Corrin | ||
| Attorney General | 1993–1998 | William Cain | ||
| Attorney General | 1998–2011 | Michael Kerruish | ||
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | 2003–2008 | Noël Jones | ||
| Elected member | 2002–2007 | Norman Radcliffe | ||
| Elected member | 1987–1995 | Matty Ward | ||
| President of Tynwald | 2000–2011 | Sir Charles Kerruish | ||
| President of Tynwald | 1990–2000 | Ian Anderson | ||
| Ian Anderson | Elected member | 1982–1988 | Geoff Crellin | |
| President of the Legislative Council | 1988–1990 | Jack Nivison | ||
| Elected member | 1990–1993 | |||
| Jack Nivison | Elected member | 1962–1980 | Alfred Teare | |
| President of the Legislative Council | 1980–1988 | |||
| Archdeacon | 1912–1919 | |||
| Vicar General | 1906–1919 | |||
| Elected member | 1919–1933 | |||
| Elected member | 1919–1924 | |||
| Elected member | 1919–1924 | Joseph Cunningham | ||
| Elected member | 1919–1924 | |||
| Elected member | 1919–1943 | |||
| Appointee of Lieutenant Governor | 1919–1920 | |||
| Appointee of Lieutenant Governor | 1919–1942 | |||
| Sir John Bolton | Appointed member | 1962–1970 | John Crellin | |
| Elected member | 1971–1979 | |||
| Elected member | 1964–1966 | Ewan Farrant | ||
| Elected member | 1966–1974 | G C Gale | ||
| Elected member | 1975–1982 | |||
| Norman Crowe OBE JP | Elected member | 1970–1978 | Cecil McFee | |
| Captain John Crellin OBE MC JP | Appointed member | 1943–1962 | Daniel Teare | |
| Elected member | 1982–1988 | Alfred Simcocks MBE | ||
| Elected member | 1970–1985 | |||
| Elected member | 1974–1981 | Hubert Radcliffe | ||
| Elected member | 1978–1985 | Norman Crowe | ||
| 1962–1971 | ||||
| Elected member | 1979–1985 | William E Quayle | ||
| Elected member | 1958–1970 | Joseph Callister | ||
| Elected member | 1970–1978 | |||
| Elected member | 1987–1993 | Dr Edgar Mann | ||
| Elected member | 1985–2002 | Roy MacDonald | ||
| Elected member | 1980–1985 | Sir John Bolton | ||
| Alfred Simcocks MBE | Elected member | 1974–1982 | Ffinlo Corkhill | |
| Elected member | 1982–1982 | Victor Kneale | ||
| Elected member | 1985–1987 | Alec Moore | ||
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | 1983–1988 | Vernon Nicholls | ||
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | 1989–2003 | Arthur Attwell | ||
| Bishop of Sodor and Man | 1973–1983 | |||
| First Deemster | 1969–1974 | |||
| Appointed member | 1955–1970 | |||
| 1848–1867 | ||||
| The Rev. William Christian | 1883–1887 | |||
| 1887–1893 | ||||
| William Anderson | Receiver General | 1894–1909 | ||
| Receiver General | 1909–1919 | William Anderson | ||
| John Goldie-Taubman | Appointed member | 1921–1924 | George Drinkwater | |
| Edward Callister | Elected member | 1921–1931 | John Robert Kerruish | |
| John Clucas | Appointed member | 1924–1928 | John Goldie-Taubman | |
| Frank Dagleish | Elected member | 1931–1946 | Edward Callister | |
| Elected member | 1934–1954 | Arthur Crookall | ||
| Elected member | 1934–1935 | Joseph Qualtrough | ||
| Elected member | 1946–1958 | |||
| Elected member | 1954–1964 | |||
| 1963–1974 |
The original function of the Legislative Council was executive (i.e. giving advice to the Lieutenant Governor — or Lords of Mann prior to Revestment) and its membership was entirely appointed, as follows:
Historically the "Comptroller" (a position sometimes held together with another office such as that of Receiver-General) and an "Archdeacon's Official" were also members.Before the Reformation the Council included other prelates, such as the Abbot of Rushen.
The first seven were Crown appointments and the last two appointments by the Bishop. Reforms were slowly made to reduce the number of judicial and religious appointments and these members were slowly replaced by indirectly elected members.
In 1917, the Judicature (Amendment) Act introduced by the Legislative Council removed Clerk of the Rolls from the composition of the Council. It then consisted of the following members:
In 1919, The Archdeacon; the Vicar General; and the Receiver General were removed as ex officio members of the Council by the Isle of Man Constitution Amendment Act 1919. The members were thus:
Increased the number of elected members from four to five.
The Second Deemster lost his seat in the Council. The members were thus:
The Isle of Man Constitution Act 1969 removed the two appointed members of the Legislative Council. The members were thus:[9]
The Isle of Man Constitution Act 1971 removed the Attorney-General's vote, and he no longer counted towards a quorum.
The First Deemster lost his seat in the Council, by virtue of the Isle of Man Constitution (Amendment) Act 1975. The members were thus:
The Lieutenant Governor was removed as Presiding Officer and replaced by an indirectly elected President of the Legislative Council. The Governor still presided at joint sittings of Tynwald. The members were thus: