NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
‘[G]ood electoral procedure starts with having the right to cast your vote in the first place otherwise we may as well invite Kim Jong-un to run the place!’
The Keys enthusiastically embraced the new ‘Representation of the People Act’ due to come into force later this month.
The changes ostensibly were brought about following an ‘independent’ review into goings on at the time of the 2010 Douglas East by election which resulted in a number of people being prosecuted there has also been a ‘public consultation’.
The Isle of Man government are big on ‘independent reviews’ and ‘consultations’. It is unclear however how much notice they take of the views they receive precious – little I would wager.
The main provisions of the new changes are set out in this article from Isle of Man Today:
https://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/the-amount-of-money-keys-candidates-can-spend-on-election-campaigns-is-to-be-restricted-1-7445919
At first glance it seems all very equitable, restricting the amount of money, no anonymous donations, only registered political parties but there is a tinge of the Orwellian about it and one cannot help thinking it will suit, if not actively assist, the sitting tenants of a deeply unpopular government. That is those that haven’t already scuttled of the Legco.
The first question to pose is did the events in Douglas East warrant this reaction. Granted electoral malpractice should be combated but as far as I’m aware this was the only example of major wrongdoing there has been. Also let’s not get above our selves. The Isle of Man is about 35 miles long and 11 miles wide, the chances of anyone getting away with malpractice are remote and that’s exactly what happened with Douglas East.
Additionally are Manx people that gullible that someone who throws a ‘shed load of money’ at an election will automatically get in? I doubt it probably; it would have the opposite effect.
As for political parties and their ‘registration’ well traditionally the Manx electorate eschew political parties so another bit of nonsense.
As the nation is purportedly economically falling apart so rapidly that we have to throw £50 million pounds at as yet unidentified businesses, I would have thought the main public concern would be the way Eddie Teare and Allan Bell are spending our money rather than the possibility of Donald Trump trying to buy his way to success in the next Douglas East general election.
Quite frankly it’s the nanny State gone mad!
There is a priority for the next election that is making sure that everyone entitled to vote is on the register not ‘disenfranchised mysteriously’ as thousands have been recently.
Never mind ‘restricting this’ or having to ‘register that’ good electoral procedure starts with having the right to cast your vote in the first place otherwise we may as well invite Kim Jong-un to run the place!
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by the Celtic News
05/09/15
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