Putting Ramsey first

If I am elected as one of Ramsey’s MHKs, Ramsey will be my first responsibility.

That does not mean becoming a glorified Town Commissioner or looking at every national issue solely through the interests of one town. An MHK has a responsibility to make decisions in the interests of the Island as a whole. But I would be elected by the people of Ramsey, and I would never forget who had put me there or the responsibility that comes with representing them.

I want to make sure Ramsey has a strong voice when decisions are being made about healthcare, housing, infrastructure, transport, regeneration, public services and the wider direction of government. Decisions made centrally are not necessarily intended to disadvantage Ramsey or the north, but their practical impact can sometimes be very different when viewed from here. Those consequences need to be raised while decisions are being made, not discovered afterwards.

Putting Ramsey first does not mean arguing that Ramsey should receive something simply because it is Ramsey. It means making sure the town gets a fair hearing, its circumstances are properly understood and it is not treated as an afterthought. Where I believe Ramsey is being poorly served, I will say so and fight its corner.

My ten years as a Ramsey Town Commissioner have given me a close view of the issues facing the town, but they have also shown me the limits of what local government can do. Many of the frustrations I have encountered ultimately require decisions, funding or changes from central government. That is one of the reasons I am standing for the House of Keys. I want to take that experience into Tynwald and be in a position to challenge those decisions at the level where they are actually made.

That responsibility would not disappear if I were given a role within a government department. I would work constructively with government where I believed it was doing the right thing, but no departmental position would prevent me from raising concerns where I believed Ramsey was being poorly served. My responsibility to represent Ramsey would come before protecting a government role.

And representation cannot just happen in Tynwald. I intend to remain visible and accessible in Ramsey throughout the term. I would continue the regular Saturday morning constituency surgeries, continue my monthly Facebook Live Q&As and remain available for residents to contact and speak to directly. I would also continue explaining important decisions and developments as they happen.

I do not intend to disappear into Douglas after an election and reappear five years later asking for another vote. If Ramsey elects me, I will be there to represent it for the whole term.