Agenda 24.8.26 - when is a housing crisis not a housing crisis and do we need a target population of 100,000 people?

Despite the hastily watered down rhetoric on a population target of a hundred thousand people that figure remains as a government ambition on which future planning is based. So why aren’t Keys candidates talking about it? Do they or don’t they support this aspiration? Is it even achievable when global demographers are predicting dramatic falls in population and deaths in the Isle of Man far exceed births? And whatever happened to the housing crisis? Was it real? If so why has so little be delivered to address it? Are our young people voting with their feet and abandoning thought of a life here?

Alistair Ramsay is back this week to discuss an issue not really mentioned so far in the election. Should rates and local government reform be higher up the political agenda? Why has every attempt so far failed to reform a Rates system which is generally regarded as outdated and unfair? Does anyone really know what local and central government are actually responsible for? Call me radical if you like but surely there needs to be a national debate on what we actually want local government to do? And who knows we might then finally get round to bringing our rusty rates system into the 21st century? … Maybe?

There will be eight Keys seats undefended at the general election one of which belongs to Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover. He looks back on his five years in office, compares what he’s learned as an MHK with what he thought before he was elected and admits to some frustrations along the way. He gives good advice to wannabe MHKs and helps us the voters understand what’s reasonable to expect from our new political brooms. Do MHKs need thicker skins or should we all try to be more respectful of people in public life? The hide of a rhino helps I fear.

In the latest of our pre-election broadcasts we’re looking at tax. One way to fill the £100m gap in government finances would be to pay more tax, but what could a future government do to boost its income? Tax is seen by many as an inhibitor to the enterprise needed to grow our economy, so tax rises need to be considered very carefully. Find out more about Manx taxes on this week’s Agenda. Over several centuries lower tax and duties have been the cornerstone of Manx economic success but can we rely on that in the future? A very taxing conversation on this week’s show.

If Bill Clinton was right in saying “it’s the economy, stupid” then we could be in for a very interesting election. Global financial and political factors have had a big impact on the Manx economy but could the Isle of Man Government have done more. Why does economic growth matter so much for government finances and making us all feel happier? Are we living through a period economic stagnation here and if so what needs to be done to get things moving again? It would be a brave politician who told us that we need to accept fewer services but unless a new ‘magic money tree’ can be found they might have to.

In our pre-election series of handy guides to understanding the big election issues this week’s Agenda looks at health and social care. Most of the candidates seem to think that Manx Care is the problem rather than the solution and with the eyewatering amounts being poured in to health they may have a point. Is it time now though for a very frank discussion about whether our current expectations on health are affordable. With the new UK Prime Minister promising to spend a lot of political capital on a better solution for care home funding it seems big changes lie ahead in the next five years.

With the general election just over two months away Agenda will be focussing on what we can reasonably expect to see in prospective MHKs manifestos. How should our expectations differ between sitting MHKs’ election promises and those entering politics for the first time? Is it fair to blame the civil service for government failures and how much of that blame should be placed on outgoing MHKs’ shoulders? Lots to contemplate on this week’s Agenda. If this is the worst government we’ve ever had should we be more careful in choosing our MHKs for the next five years?

Continuing on my recent attempt to convince you that politics is quite exciting on tonight’s Agenda we have a quashed mini-revolt in LegCo, when is a rates Bill not a rates Bill and one of the best speeches in June Tynwald. Pharmacists are concerned about changes being proposed in the National Health Service Reform Bill 2026 but attempts by one MLC to support their cause did not convince a majority in Legislative Council. The Treasury Minister has withdrawn the Rates Bill deciding its better to leave it until after the election, and there’s a cracking speech on horse trams. Politics? … Boring? … Never!

Despite neither Tynwald nor the public knowing why Royal Assent wasn’t granted amendments were moved which according to the Attorney General were all that’s needed to get the greenlight from the UK. We hear from mover of the Bill Alex Allinson and some of its critics on this week’s Agenda. There is little doubt that this legislation has been controversial and there remains some doubt about whether the safeguards in the Bill are strong enough, but two or three people have seen the Home Office advice on why royal assent hasn’t been granted and one of those, the attorney general, thinks the amendments will do the trick. Are you reassured?

A Rushen hustings meeting will be held this Thursday evening to give people an opportunity to raise in a public forum the issues they think should be a priority for the next government. In what is a fairly novel approach this meeting is not called by candidates and doesn’t invite candidates to share their views with the public, but instead it invites the public to share their views on what really matters to them. This should be a refreshing change to the tried and tested formula of previous hustings, but will we learn anything new from the process. I certainly hope so!