In a post that appeared earlier on his blog, Professor Peter Edge explains the possible next steps in the controversy about the Bishop of Sodor & Man’s vote in the Legislative Council.

After debating the Bill on 23 and 30 April 2024, the Isle of Man Constitution Bill, which would remove the Lord Bishop’s vote while retaining her place on the Legislative Council in Tynwald, passed the third reading in the House of Keys by 14 votes to 9. The Legislative Council will begin considering it on 11 June 2024.

It is not necessarily going to be passed by the Council. The view of the Keys was to some extent presaged by the grant of permission to initiate this Private Bill – a consent required only by the chamber in which the Bill is introduced. In that vote, a bare majority of 13 MHKs gave permission for the Bill to be introduced, with 11 against. As might be expected, changes in position on this simply drafted Bill were marginal. Mr Cannan, who had voted against introducing the Bill, was absent for the third reading vote. Mr Johnston, who had voted against introducing the Bill, supported it at the third reading. Continue reading →