Before we start this critique we need to be clear that we have no real axe to grind regarding Mr Michael Josem personally [or indeed Liberal Vannin] but anyone who throws up so much conflicting, unclear and deliberately opaque information during an election campaign while at the same time demanding that government is transparent in all that it does at all times is naturally going to attract a disproportionate amount of our attention.
Which brings us to today's ten minutes of deliberately earnest and yet pure and unadulterated evasiveness.
We say earnest as it seems that Mr Josem is now adopting a more earnest statesman-like demeanour which he seems to think allows him to bat off any awkward questions that he feels like not answering. Questions like - why are you now standing in another constituency? Who funds the Manx Taxpayers Alliance? What is your connection to the Manx Taxpayers Alliance? And how does the whole Michael Josem, Liberal Vannin and Manx Taxpayers Alliance thing all link up?
If readers view the below Isle of Man TV clip it is clear that despite Paul Moulton's persistence not one of these questions is actually answered at any time. In fact the most direct response received, amongst a series of earnest yet persistent deflections, is that the Manx Taxpayers Alliance is funded by [unknown] Manx taxpayers. Wow that's really transparent Mr Josem. Thanks.
The Isle of Man TV Michael Josem interview on YouTube:
We deliberately start today's blog on the theme of the Importance of Being Earnest as readers might recall that in the play of the same name Oscar Wilde provides a reference to Algernon's hobby of Bunburying. Mr Bunbury of course was an entirely fictional person - an invented chronic invalid friend who Algernon uses while out of town as an excuse to avoid any social events that he doesn't wish to attend.
As such we'd suggest that all we are really seeing here is ten minutes of Paul Moulton looking for the invented and illusive Mr Bunbury who funds the Manx Taxpayers Alliance and Mr Josem earnestly indulging in a spot of modern day Bunburying in inventing fictitious situations to get out of answering questions.
Mr Michael Josem candidate for Douglas East (not Douglas South)
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