Julie Edge’s emerging manifesto blends her record of scrutiny with a positive vision for the Isle of Man’s future. Key themes include:
Fairness and opportunity for all.
Economic fairness: close the gap between public‑ and private‑sector pay, ensure that median wage statistics are accurate and transparent, and deliver wage policies that reflect productivity and living costs.
Support for pensioners: protect the triple‑lock guarantee or an equivalent measure and require any proposed changes to pensions to be subject to separate debate and public consultation.
Affordable living: work to reduce housing costs, develop community housing schemes and support local businesses to provide secure, well‑paid jobs.
Strong and accountable public services.
Health and social care: carry out a full value‑for‑money audit of Manx Care; reform governance to ensure clinical leadership and accountability; set waiting‑time targets and ensure that funding is tied to outcomes and service quality.
Education: invest in adaptive learning frameworks to equip students with skills for a rapidly changing world, support teachers and enhance apprenticeships and vocational training (drawing on her tenure as education minister).
Whistle‑blowing and ethics: implement the recommendations of the whistle‑blowing committee; make elected members prescribed persons for disclosures; strengthen codes of conduct and ensure impartial standards committees.
Economic diversification and resilience.
Future economy: nurture technology, fintech and creative industries; support remote and hybrid working; leverage the Isle of Man’s ability to be a testbed for emerging technologies while maintaining robust regulation and consumer protection.
Green transition: invest in renewable energy, improve energy efficiency in homes and public buildings, and promote community‑owned energy projects to enhance energy security and reduce costs.
Tourism and culture: promote the Island’s heritage and natural environment, invest in sports and cultural infrastructure, and support local artisans and creative enterprises.
Open, participatory government.
Transparency and accountability: publish clear, accessible financial data; subject major projects and public bodies to value‑for‑money audits; separate policy decisions from budget votes when public engagement is needed.
Community co‑creation: encourage residents to co‑design policies through regular public meetings, online consultations and participatory budgeting.
Listening and acting: commit to being a champion for constituents, especially the under‑represented; continue to speak out against bullying, cliques and secrecy; and prioritise collaborative problem‑solving over partisanship.
An Island that looks outward while protecting its identity.
International engagement: strengthen relations with the UK and other small jurisdictions to share best practice on energy, healthcare and digital regulation.
Cultural pride: celebrate Manx language and culture, support local media and ensure that policies reflect the Island’s unique identity.
This manifesto sketch reflects the themes that have defined Julie Edge’s work: fairness, transparency, strategic investment and community‑driven solutions. It aims to give Onchan residents and the wider Isle of Man a clear sense of her values and the direction she hopes to take the Island in the next electoral cycle.