Looking at a lot of the apparent murkiness and vested interests that seem to be bubbling just under the surface in this General Election has caused us to ponder just why some candidates are putting themselves forward for a public vote and why right now. Also given what appears might be a slowly creeping subliminal agenda could it also be the case that other candidates are starting to be corralled (or possibly press-ganged) into supporting some of the same causes as the campaign trail unravels - such is the apparent scramble by persons unknown (to the public at this time anyway) to push through nothing short of the complete opening up of the Island to unfettered immigration and wider scale property development.
In 1974 Genesis released the classic album Selling England by the Pound its title being a line stolen from an early nineteen-seventies Labour Party Manifesto of the same name - the undercurrent of the album mocking the emerging commercialisation and materialism of British culture at the start of the Seventies. The whole country was selling out for cash at that time they believed. And in a similar vein we wonder whether in 2021 we now have a handful of General Election candidates lining up to sell the IOM by the pound?
Take Liberal Vannin candidates Mr Peter Willers and Mr Michael Josem with both appearing to be linked to property developers - one past, one present (please see our write-up in relation to the Manx Piss-takers Alliance elsewhere on this site). And both with a seemingly clear agenda to do away with work permits and open up more Manx land for housing. We'd suggest that the further concreting of the IOM seems to be a clear underlying objective of both candidates despite what they may be carefully saying publicly. In the last few days too we see fellow Onchan hopeful Rob Callister coming out and saying that he wouldn't be opposed to more building in upper Onchan should the population exceed 89,000. Which feels like an abrupt about turn from previous messaging about potential over building right on his doorstep. He's also started to refer to 'My friend Peter Karran' in his social media posts for some strange reason. So across all the above it feels like there is a clear developer nuanced message quietly lurking behind the scenes which makes you wonder who is providing the real influence in Douglas and Onchan particularly this election. There's still a residual indirect funding question in relation to some of the LV candidates too - a point that Mr Josem has categorically refused to answer right the way through this campaign in relation to his own employment with the Manx Taxpayers Alliance.
Furthermore Mr Willers is strangely being positioned (by long term developer and population growth unfriendly Peter Karran of all people) as some sort of anti-corruption champion of the next government who will allegedly clean up all these dodgy developers who are said to be constantly leaning on our government - despite a long-term career history that appears to be the polar opposite of what is being portrayed publicly.
Please find below a link to our original write-up on Mr Peter Willers:
So we ask if the real agenda is to sell the IOM by the Pound could some candidates please just be honest about their objectives and motivations as its a bit insulting to the voting public to be saying one thing while appearing to be doing something entirely different. The Greens and the Manx Labour Party have made their position on local housing and the current housing affordability crisis for Manx people very clear without just pushing a subliminal agenda which seems to be solely about opening up land opportunities and throwing open the doors of the IOM to anyone purely in order to sell them a new-build house at top-dollar prices. In Ramsey too they're directly asking all candidates - are you for or against the Marina Development which is at least straight dialogue about support (or not) for potential over development that voters can actively make a decision around. Therefore it shouldn't be especially hard for any of the others to approach the subject with the same level of honesty should it? Another question to be asked on the doorstep perhaps?
Pictured: Peter Gabriel on the Selling England by the Pound Tour 1973-1974
