In a passionate speech that shook the chamber, Julie Edge MHK stood before Tynwald to demand long-overdue reform of the way standards and conduct are upheld across the Isle of Man’s parliament. At the heart of her message: fairness, impartiality, and transparency for all members.
Edge moved two key motions to reshape the Tynwald Standards and Members’ Interests Committee—the body responsible for overseeing complaints and ethical conduct among members of parliament. Her proposals focused on ensuring impartial leadership and removing political influence from the committee’s decisions.
“This is about restoring trust in how members are held to account,” she said. “We must create a structure that treats every member fairly—regardless of their role or political standing.”
Pushing for Independent Oversight
At the centre of her motion was the call to replace the Speaker as Chair of the Standards Committee, citing concerns that it was inappropriate for the Speaker—who rules on points of order in live debates—to also be the final arbiter of private complaints about member conduct.
Edge argued that this undermined the principle of natural justice and could deter members from bringing forward legitimate concerns for fear of institutional bias.
“Members need to feel safe, and the public needs to feel assured that the system is fair,” she said. “That starts with an impartial committee.”
Speaking from Experience
Edge’s intervention was more than procedural. It was personal.
She described facing what she called “bullying” in the House of Keys in the past, and suggested that a lack of impartial oversight left members—particularly backbenchers and female representatives—vulnerable to intimidation and unfair treatment.
Her emotional testimony highlighted the need for cultural as well as structural change in Tynwald.
“We have an opportunity here to modernise the way we govern ourselves, and to demonstrate that this parliament has the maturity and courage to hold itself to the same standards we demand of others.”
A Voice for Integrity
Though the motions faced opposition from some government members and were ultimately not adopted at the time, Edge’s stand was widely noted as a bold and principled move to open a conversation that many had avoided.
Her push for reform is part of a broader legacy of defending transparency, upholding democratic integrity, and giving a voice to the voiceless within political systems.Whether as Minister, committee chair, or backbench MHK, Julie Edge has never shied away from holding power to account—even when it means challenging the institution from within.
Date: 18 July 2023
Location: Tynwald Court, Isle of Man
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