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Isle of Man
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of the Isle of Man
Lord of Mann HM Queen Elizabeth II Lieutenant Governor His Excellency Sir Richard Gozney Deputy Governor Until 31 July 2018: His Honour Deemster Doyle QC Successor: Andrew Corlett Isle of Man Government Council of Ministers Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK Departments Statutory Boards Offices Other Agencies Tynwald Act of Tynwald List President of Tynwald The Hon. Steve Rodan MLC Legislative Council President The Hon. Steve Rodan MLC House of Keys Speaker The Hon. Juan Watterson SHK Members (MHKs) Officials of State Judiciary Local government Parish Captains Elections House of Keys elections Legislative Council elections Keys constituencies Political parties Last Keys election
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The Legislative Council (Manx: Yn Choonceil Slattyssagh) is the upper chamber of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man. It is often referred to as "LegCo".

It consists of eleven Members (MLCs):

• Eight members elected by the Keys
  


• Three ex officio members:
  
  
  
  • The Bishop of Sodor and Man
    
  
  
  • The President of Tynwald (casting vote)
  
  
  • The Attorney General (non-voting)
  
  
  
  

The MLCs are elected by the members of the House of Keys for a term of five years. Four MLCs retire at a time, and four new MLCs are then elected. An MLC must be at least 21 years old and resident in the Isle of Man. Historically the election procedure has been cumbersome, and on some occasions in recent years the election has required a large number of ballots, stretching over a period of weeks or even months. However the Standing Orders of the House of Keys regarding the election of MLCs were amended on 4 April 2017, and a relevant Guidance Note was issued by the Speaker of the House of Keys in June 2017. In 2018, only one ballot was required, although some feel that that was at the cost of allowing members to vote for an excessive number of candidates (one member voted for 13 candidates out of 15 and another for 11).^[1][2]

Historically, most or all elected MLCs were former MHKs, but this practice has now much reduced or ceased.

Formerly, the Lieutenant Governor presided over the Legislative Council and over Tynwald Court (a joint session of the Council and the House of Keys). Now, however, the President of Tynwald, who is chosen by the whole Tynwald for a five-year term, is the ex officio President of the Legislative Council, and presides over both the Legislative Council and Tynwald Court, except that the Lieutenant Governor presides once a year on Tynwald Day.

Furthermore, the Church of England Bishop of Sodor and Man and the Attorney General have seats on the Legislative Council. The Bishop is a voting member, the Attorney General is a non-voting member, and the President has the casting vote.

The Council does not usually originate legislation (until recently the last Act originating from the Council was the Sharing of Church Buildings Act 1986)^{[citation needed]}. Instead, it reviews draft legislation originating from the House of Keys. However, it is possible for legislation to originate in the Council: a recent example is the Equality Bill 2016.^[3][4]

2016 Review of the Functioning of Tynwald

For many years there has been considerable debate about the functioning of Tynwald, and specifically about the composition, method of election, and functions of the Legislative Council. In the past, a number of reforms were made in the composition of the Legislative Council, which are set out below. In 2016 Lord Lisvane was asked to carry out a review of the functioning of Tynwald.^[5] Among his recommendations were:

• Members of the Legislative Council should continue not to be directly elected, but instead should be nominated by an independent Nominations Commission to the House of Keys. No sitting MHK could be nominated.


• The Legislative Council should not vote on taxation or appropriation.


• Only exceptionally should MLCs be ministers.


• The Bishop should continue as an ex officio voting member of the Legislative Council.

1990 reform and current composition

The Lieutenant Governor is removed as Presiding Officer of Tynwald and replaced by a member of Tynwald elected by the Members of the Court (i.e. the High Court of Tynwald) as President of Tynwald. The President of Tynwald is also a member of the Legislative Council and presides at its sittings. The members are thus:

• President of Tynwald


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Eight members elected by the House of Keys

The non-ex officio members are elected by the House of Keys for terms which end at the end of February immediately before the fifth anniversary of their election.

Current membership

¹ Elected under the name of Tanya Humbles

In marked contrast to tradition, all five members elected in March 2018 are women.

Elections

Past membership

Historical composition

Original

The original function of the Legislative Council was executive (i.e. giving advice to the Lieutenant Governor) and its membership was entirely appointed, as follows:

• Lieutenant Governor


• First Deemster


• Second Deemster


• Clerk of the Rolls


• Attorney General


• Receiver General


• Water Bailiff


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Archdeacon of Sodor and Man


• Vicar General of Sodor and Man

The first seven were Crown appointments and the last two appointments by the Bishop. Reforms were slowly made to reduce the number of judicial and religious appointments and these members were slowly replaced by indirectly elected members.

1917 reform

In 1917, the Judicature (Amendment) Act introduced by the Legislative Council removed Clerk of the Rolls from the composition of the Council. It then consisted of the following members:

• Lieutenant Governor


• First Deemster


• Second Deemster


• Attorney General


• Receiver General


• Water Bailiff


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Archdeacon of Sodor and Man


• Vicar General of Sodor and Man

The above 1917 Act abolished the Clerk of the Rolls as a separate office-holder. The role was taken on by the First Deemster. There is no obvious evidence that a Water Bailiff was a member of the Council in the years leading up to or following 1917, and that office may have been abolished some time previously.

This document [2] suggests that by 1872 the office of Water Bailiff may have been combined with that of Receiver-General.

1919 reform

In 1919, The Archdeacon; the Vicar General; and the Receiver General were removed as ex officio members of the Council by the Isle of Man Constitution Amendment Act 1919. The members were thus:

• Lieutenant Governor


• First Deemster


• Second Deemster


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor


• Four members elected by the House of Keys

1961 reform

Replaced an appointed member by an elected member.

1965 reform

The Second Deemster lost his seat in the Council. The members were thus:

• Lieutenant Governor


• First Deemster


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor


• Five members elected by the House of Keys

1969 reform

The Isle of Man Constitution Act 1969 removed the two appointed members of the LegCo. The members were thus:^[6]

• Lieutenant Governor


• First Deemster


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Seven members elected by the House of Keys

1975 reform

The First Deemster lost his seat in the Council, by virtue of the Isle of Man Constitution (Amendment) Act 1975. The members were thus:

• Lieutenant Governor


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Eight members elected by the House of Keys

1980 reform

The Lieutenant Governor was removed as Presiding Officer and replaced by an indirectly elected President of the Legislative Council. The Governor still presided at joint sittings of Tynwald. The members were thus:

• President of the Legislative Council


• Attorney General


• Bishop of Sodor and Man


• Seven members elected by the House of Keys

References

Coordinates: 54°09′03″N 4°28′56″W / 54.15083°N 4.48222°W / 54.15083; -4.48222