A guest post by Peter W Edge and Teale Phelps Bondaroff.

Introduction

Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man, has in recent years spent considerable time reflecting on the inclusion of the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man in the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, and in particular their ability to vote on legislation and other matters. The discussion culminated in no immediate change. It has recently returned to the constitutional entwining of church and state in relation to legislative prayers in the dominant chamber of Tynwald, the House of Keys.

The First Report of the Management Committee

Partly triggered by no nominations coming forward for a replacement for the retiring Chaplain to the House of Keys, in January 2022, the House of Keys Management and Members’ Standards Committee recommended replacing the current prayers by the Chaplain (or in their absence the Speaker) at the beginning of each meeting. Continue reading →