Back on the 22nd May we started to critique many of the original Manx Radio two-minutes to Tell Us segments with various candidates. At the time we said that its an election format that we like very much and so as the field has now widened considerably we thought we'd continue and do some of the ones we missed originally as we're now looking at over sixty candidates to cover in total.
The original two-minutes to Tell Us write-ups from May are here:
Round two can be found here:
And for round three we go straight into
David Ashford
First off we have Douglas old ladies favourite David Ashy Ashford and no doubt there's already a few old biddies at the Douglas Old Friends Association who have gone to Gef to get Ashy's cartoon effigy reproduced on their bloomers to go with the dusty Howard O'Clock mug they keep in the pantry. Its good to see that Ashy has been far too busy to brush his own teeth though before he unleashes his irritatingly squeaky Manx accent on the Great Manx Public. The last five years have been a real experience he announces (for us all David, for us all) and of course we mustn't forget the pandemic - which he then totally ignores as it may be prone to resurrect the ghost of his belligerent letter shredding past. It's now all about affordable housing and the reform of planning system he says - and don't forget reviewing the benefits system. Yes vote for Ashy if you want more benefits! No doubt there were paramedics on standby just in case some passing old lady swooned as the sound of his voice took her back to all those fear inducing 4pm Covid briefings not so long ago.
Mark Kemp
The angriest man in the Deep South mentions straight off that he nearly got in last time (like just losing out in 2016 is some sort of validation or endorsement for 2021). The 2016 threats to our Island still haven't gone away he says which presumably allowed him to reuse half of his last published manifesto at least? The Island's new threats are G7 and the pandemic fallout Mr Kemp clarifies. He's an accountant and a former teacher although he subtly suggests that his last campaign may have cost him his job - although the allegation (if it is one) is suitably vague. He's been working tirelessly behind the scenes [which we suggest is largely posting anti-government rants on Facebook and ManxForums] and he set up a Facebook Group! We like Mr Kemp though and the top three in Rushen will be a very close run thing we suggest. Hopefully he doesn't catch the brides bouquet again this time as he will probably make a very good MHK.
Sara Hackman
Ms Hackman gives the appearance of someone who just randomly turned up at the studio with a hastily scribbled scrap of paper in her hand. She adopts the I-am-Sara-Hackman-and-I-am-standing-for-Douglas-Central approach to electoral script reading that has been adopted by many this election. Ms Hackman's whole reason for standing seems to be to make up the numbers - a rather silly reason for standing in a General Election which will surely take votes off better candidates from the few delusional residents who might be tempted to cast their second vote for an ex Douglas mayor. She's lived on Belmont Terrace for 20 years apparently - which again is no real endorsement of anything. Ms Hackman's concerns are health services and infrastructure and she feels that long term the IOM has the potential for economic growth but she predicts short term doom. She is a woman who is prepared to face stark realities apparently - which we suggest is untrue as if that was genuinely the case she'd have withdrawn her candidacy and left the election to be fought by three other competent people instead.
Luke Parker
For some reason we quite like Luke and here we hear a cracking Manx accent from this dedicated Ramsey-ite. Mr Parker's issues are housing affordability where he suggests that more government support is needed and he'd like to see cheaper utilities and food costs where support should also be explored by government. He also calls for a change in how people work and live after the pandemic to create a better work life balance. Ramsey faces some big future developments which he'd like to see the people of Ramsey being more closely consulted on. There's not much to pick holes in here - he's still very young and idealistic and obviously cares about the Town.
Duncan Livingstone
We don't have to presume anything - this is Mr Livingstone Manx Radio has told us! To begin his two-minutes Mr Livingstone clarifies that he was born and raised in Kirk Michael and returned to the village 16 years ago with no plans to live anywhere else (it is after-all, the local village for local people). He claims that he got into politics as he didn't agree with the DOI road plan for Kirk Michael - and who can argue with anyone who opposes the DOI who seem to be the main reason why a lot of candidates in the north are standing this time! Mr Livingstone also claims that we need to make sure we have a fit for purpose travel strategy as well as affordable housing. If you bump into him in the street please walk .. oh actually don't .. please stop and have a word with him. Mr Livingstone comes across as an entirely sensible candidate who is the very antithesis of Ayre & Kirk Michael rival Tim Baker.
Leonard Singer
Lenny Singer what a minger might be an appropriate election slogan to stand under and here in seventy-eight year old Mr Singer we have Ramsey Town's self-proclaimed protector who is standing for the future of Ramsey by opposing the Marina. But he does support positive regeneration elsewhere in the harbour area. Singers other subsidiary issues are the affordability of housing and the housing crisis - perhaps a bit rich for a man of means who checked himself into sheltered housing not too long ago. Mr Singer also believes that mental heath issues should be funded presumably in order to pander to the post-pandemic Care Bear brigade. We need people with business acumen in Keys he says to help rebuild the economy. Mr Singer claims that he's a good listener who always puts Ramsey first!
Christine Urquart
The chief Care Bear of old Douglas Town claims that she has always had an interest in local politics but now has an appetite for change. She supports victims rights (and rightly so) and feels she is well-known from various victim initiatives and protests. Ms Urqhart wants to see a transformation in Manx politics (don't hold your breath there) where people are at the forefront of policies and she promises to put people first and maintain contact with voters if elected - which is clearly a dig at someone who is probably already an East Douglas MHK!
Jonathan Kinrade
Mr Kinrade identifies as a proud Manxman specialising in IT and a self employed business man. He wants to be the best constituency candidate he can be and would like to see government relocate some services to Ramsey. He cant provide a silver bullet (are there still werewolves in Ramsey?) but claims that he will work hard for the town. Other issues and concerns are housing and the skills shortage. There's an oblique non-committal mention of the Marina towards the end. All in all a sensible performance but the swerve-ball on the Marina likely won't go down well with the flaming torch wavers of South Ramsey!
Peter Gilmour
In what really appears to be an online job interview Mr Gilmour confirms that he is a Manxman of four generations and that his background is the Royal Air Force and that he now works as an analyst and data scientist. He did two years in Gibraltar for an e-gaming company and has an engineering degree and an MBA. That's the job pitch over. His main policy issues are control of government finances (good luck there) due to the 25% increase in the public sector salary bill in recent years as well as addressing the skills shortage and other recruitment issues. In relation to the housing crisis he says we need to address wider building on brownfield sites. All in all he actually sounds like a very strong candidate in Douglas East - its a shame he isn't into MAGA hats and daily online video stunts as his entirely sensible and level-headed approach may well be overshadowed by the attention-seeking activities of others in Douglas East.
James Cherry
Onchan's thirteen year old Harry Potter doppelganger speaks in a rather random manner for most of the allotted two-minutes. Mr Cherry confirms that he has always lived in Onchan and that apart from a year at university he's never left. Furthermore he claims that he always gets homesick for the dog poo and the marauding gangs of feral youths whenever he's travelled abroad. Mr Cherry also say's that we need to set in place long term change for fifteen or twenty years down the line and the big issue on his doorstep (which has now apparently moved into his hall) is climate change - which prompts us to consider whether he is being haunted by a poltergeist if there's an unusual climate at the bottom of his hall? Mr Cherry closes by saying that small things can make big change. As well as climate change he also covers affordable housing as the two main issues he can think about at the moment without reading from a piece of paper.
All links above courtesy of Manx Radio.
