On Friday 24 May, Manx constitutional expert Professor Peter Edge of Oxford Brookes University and Reayrtys will partner for an evening at Douglas City Hall which will explore the role, history and structure of the Isle of Man’s Legislative Council. The event, which will start at 6 pm, will also look to the parliamentary setup of other small democracies to see what lessons from them may be applied to the Isle of Man.
“Reforming the Legislative Council: What is a second chamber for in a small democracy?” will feature a guest lecture from Professor Edge, a panel discussion with former MLC Dudley Butt, former MHK Hazel Hannan and political journalist Alistair Ramsay and conclude with an interactive session where attendees will be asked to share their thoughts on what the future of the Legislative Council may hold.
The Legislative Council is one of the Isle of Man’s two parliamentary chambers. Indirectly elected, its role is to revise legislation. Whilst the structure and powers of LegCo have changed significantly in recent years, it remains a controversial part of Manx politics to many and has seen regular calls for reform.
In his lecture, Professor Edge will look at how LegCo and Tynwald’s current set-up compares with other small countries and the impact which different systems have on law-making.
Dr Peter Edge, Professor of Law at Oxford Brookes University said, “Although the Manx constitution is unique, the problems of constitutional design facing the Isle of Man are shared by other small democracies. Bicameralism – having a legislature with two distinct chambers – is much less common for small democracies than for large ones.”
Speaking about the event Nick Hawkes, co-founder of Reayrtys said, “We’re excited to partner with Professor Edge and Oxford Brookes for this event. Whether it’s the Bishop, how LegCo members are elected or the role MLCs play in Government, LegCo is a seemingly ever-present issue in Manx politics.
Whilst some call looking at LegCo reform ‘navel-gazing’, the set-up of our parliament directly influences how policy-making in the Isle of Man works and learning and looking at how comparable countries operate is crucial if we want to ensure that we have the best possible governance and can deliver good policy.”
The event will feature a panel discussion featuring Dudley Butt, Hazel Hannan and Alistair Ramsay
The event will conclude with an interactive session, where attendees will be encouraged to reflect on what they have heard and share any thoughts they have on what the future of the Legislative Council should be.
Nick Hawkes added, “Whether you’re a former Member of Tynwald or have no idea about Manx politics, everyone has something to add to this debate and we’re keen to hear it!”
The event is free but will be ticketed. Tickets can be reserved through Fienta at this link.
For more information contact Nick Hawkes at hello@reayrtys.com or through WhatsApp at 07931643839.
The event will take place in Douglas City Hall. Doors will open at 5:45pm and the event will start at 6pm.
Dr Peter Edge and Dr Simon Collister are available for interview, please contact Nick Hawkes for more information.
Reayrtys is an organisation focused on having an open and honest discussion about constitutional reform in the Isle of Man. More information about Reayrtys can be found here.
Funding for the event has been provided by Oxford Brookes University.
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