Politics of the Isle of Man
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- Further information: Government of the Isle of Man
| Isle of Man |
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The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom or the European Union. However, the Isle of Man is a Crown dependency, and the United Kingdom has responsibility for all external, citizenship, good governance, and defence affairs.
The island has no representation at either the UK or EU parliaments. The island is governed by Tynwald, said to be the world's oldest continuously existing parliament.
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[edit] Political parties and elections
| Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Vannin | 7,323 | 14.2 | 2 |
| Manx Labour Party | 2,561 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Independents | 41,608 | 80.8 | 21 |
| Total | 51,492 | 24 |
Most Manx politicians stand for election as independents rather than as representatives of political parties. Though political parties do exist, their influence is not nearly as strong as is the case in the United Kingdom. Consequently, much Manx legislation develops through consensus among the members of Tynwald, which contrasts with the much more adversarial nature of the UK parliament.
The largest political party is the recently established Liberal Vannin Party, which promotes greater Manx independence and more accountability in Government. The LibVannin party has two members of Tynwald including Leader Peter Karran MHK.
A Manx Labour Party also exists, unaffiliated to the UK Labour Party.
A political pressure group Mec Vannin advocates the establishment of a sovereign republic.
The island also formerly had a Manx National Party and a Manx Communist Party. There are Manx members in the Celtic League, a political pressure group that advocates greater co-operation between and political autonomy for the Celtic nations.
The main political issues include the Island's relationship with the finance sector, housing prices and shortages, and the Manx language.
The vast majority of the members of the House of Keys are non-partisan (19), with two representatives from the Manx Labour Party and three from the Alliance for Progressive Government.
[edit] Work permits and immigration
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For more details on this topic, see External relations of the Isle of Man.
All British and European Union citizens are free to live on the Island, but they require a Control of Employment work permit from the Manx government before they can take up paid employment.
Manx people, as British Citizens, may travel and work freely in the United Kingdom. Passports issued on the Island are marked 'British Islands - Isle of Man', instead of 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland', and these passports are issued to all British Citizens resident on the island.
Manx people without a family link or past residency in the UK are restricted from exercising the right to live and work and in other EU countries.
The Isle of Man is part of the Common Travel Area, which means there are no immigration controls on travel to and from the UK and Republic of Ireland.
The Manx government operates a visa system that parallels the UK's system. Most non-EU visitors to the Isle of Man apply for UK visas.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Isle of Man Government
- Tynwald - The Parliament of the Isle of Man
- iomelections.com - 2006 General Election
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