Someone To Look Forward To

[ans]

Anything else you'd like to know?

 

Can an ocelot ever be domesticated and turned into a household pet that is safe around children?

[Politician]

Anything else you'd like to know?

 

Can an ocelot ever be domesticated and turned into a household pet that is safe around children?

 

No, but some people in the UK used to keep lynxes until the mid-seventies, when the law changed.

[Ean]

Give me all the ocelots, cos ocelots is what i want, and i like lots of ocelots, so give me lots and lots and lots.

[Politician]

Give me all the ocelots, cos ocelots is what i want, and i like lots of ocelots, so give me lots and lots and lots.

 

You were robbed then, mate - I hear OcelotsRUs were going to take over the old Littlewoods shop, but were outbid at the last moment by TK Maxx.

[lisner]

I didn't know anybody here - not one person - when I moved.

 

The comment above that "this chap will go far - he's among many friends already" has had me puzzled ever since I read it. I don't have any influential friends here, and if I do decide to stand for the Keys I will have to work bloody hard to get in.

 

Politician

 

Sorry for the confusion to you and anyone else. My point was meant to say that there are many presumably like-minded people on this Island already. On the Island:

 

1 To pay less tax and keep more of what I earn.

2 To escape from a country that is, in my view, run by a lunatic. (In the light of his latest revelations, I mean that seriously.)

etc.

 

I think your experiences already (with this forum, the newspaper thing) has given you a fastrack knowledge of the place and a few insights.

 

Good luck to you, I hope all goes well on the Island.

[Ean]

You were robbed then, mate - I hear OcelotsRUs were going to take over the old Littlewoods shop, but were outbid at the last moment by TK Maxx.

 

Heh, a politician with a sense of humour, who'd have thunk it!

[Politician]

 

I didn't know anybody here - not one person - when I moved.

 

The comment above that "this chap will go far - he's among many friends already" has had me puzzled ever since I read it. I don't have any influential friends here, and if I do decide to stand for the Keys I will have to work bloody hard to get in.

 

Politician

 

Sorry for the confusion to you and anyone else. My point was meant to say that there are many presumably like-minded people on this Island already. On the Island:

 

1 To pay less tax and keep more of what I earn.

2 To escape from a country that is, in my view, run by a lunatic. (In the light of his latest revelations, I mean that seriously.)

etc.

 

I think your experiences already (with this forum, the newspaper thing) has given you a fastrack knowledge of the place and a few insights.

 

Good luck to you, I hope all goes well on the Island.

 

Thanks for your best wishes - it's very much appreciated. Funny how things work out: I would never have been so presumptuous as to move here, then try to get my name in the newspaper just seven months later. But this feature appeared here on ManxForums, the paper saw it and contacted me for an interview, and for better or worse we'll see what happens from here. Clearly, some of my views have upset a few people, but I do believe in the old saying "Tell the truth and be damned" - besides which, it's always good to talk out your differences with people.

[Juan Kerr]

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

 

Well as I resurrected the post and you were good enough to "out" yourself then yes there is.

 

Ignoring that you were (are?) a Tory Councillor and therefore I don't see that Blairs words on God were relevant to mention as he is hardly representative of your party's views, or that you seem to think its irrelevant that your not there to represent your people as there are two seats and "someone else who is capable" (your words) has actually decided to go the distance (presumably because they feel some sort of election promise is being fulfilled by doing so?).

 

My question is that the IOM is full of councillors and local authority members who have worked hard for the ratepayers for many many years, and yet you seem have instantly gone to press informing Manx people how good you think our democracy is and how much better it would be if you were part of it. If that is not "positioning" yourself then what is. You also seem to have mentioned 2011 a bit belatedly, was this after you realised that there is a 5 year residency requirement before you can stand as MHK.

 

Personally if you do stand good luck to you as we do have a great democracy, but could you please check out some of the more sunnier tax havens first as I'm sure Manx people would hate to vote you in and then find out that their MHK has moved to Bermuda or somewhere else.

[Politician]

"Anything else you'd like to know?"

 

Well as I resurrected the post and you were good enough to "out" yourself then yes there is.

 

Ignoring that you were (are?) a Tory Councillor and therefore I don't see that Blairs words on God were relevant to mention as he is hardly representative of your party's views, or that you seem to think its irrelevant that your not there to represent your people as there are two seats and "someone else who is capable" (your words) has actually decided to go the distance (presumably because they feel some sort of election promise is being fulfilled by doing so?).

 

My question is that the IOM is full of councillors and local authority members who have worked hard for the ratepayers for many many years, and yet you seem have instantly gone to press informing Manx people how good you think our democracy is and how much better it would be if you were part of it. If that is not "positioning" yourself then what is. You also seem to have mentioned 2011 a bit belatedly, was this after you realised that there is a 5 year residency requirement before you can stand as MHK.

 

Personally if you do stand good luck to you as we do have a great democracy, but could you please check out some of the more sunnier tax havens first as I'm sure Manx people would hate to vote you in and then find out that their MHK has moved to Bermuda or somewhere else.

 

With regard to Blair, I simply find his latest pronouncement frightening. The war against Iraq was ordered by God? I suspect our political views may be a little different, but doesn't that strike you as disturbing - especially when the people against whom that war was launched are predominantly of a different religion?

 

My not being present in Durrington whilst continuing to serve as its councillor is far from irrelevant. I would describe it more as the lesser of two undesirable choices - the other being to have resigned the seat immediately and to have triggered a by-election, which would have cost the taxpayer a great deal of money (potentially into five figures, I believe). Of course, there was a third choice, where I could have stayed in the UK until the end of my four year term - but given the direction I could see the country heading in, I couldn't bring myself to do that.

 

As for my praising Manx democracy, that is my perspective as an "outsider" - the newspaper told me the thrust of the interview would be to discuss my perspectives on the differences between the Manx and British political systems. Do I think the Manx system is better? Yes, although that's not quite the same thing as saying I consider your politicians to be superior (too early for me to make that call). Having experienced it from the inside, party politics is a Punch & Judy show for adults, where everybody invests their energy in cheap point-scoring when they could be finding constructive solutions. And in fairness, I have never said that I think the Isle of Man would be a better place with me as an elected representative - I would only go so far as to say that I might be able to bring a slightly different perspective.

 

The 2011 reference, by the way, wasn't an afterthought - you'll notice that I was quoted as saying 2011 even in the original "Evening Argus" article - I did my research before moving to the island.

 

Finally, sunnier climes don't appeal. I think this island is a fantastic place to live, and as long as you're prepared to have me I'm planning to stay permanently.

[Declan]

You are so wrong.

 

(Minor point) Blair did not say that God ordered him to go to war. He said that he looked to his conscience to see whether he thought he was doing the right thing. And that ultimately God would judge whether he is right or wrong. Very different to your interpretation.

 

(More serious point) Lacking a party political system is very bad for the Island. When we vote, we don't know really, what we are voting for. Nobody declares who they'll support for Chief Minister and therefore we don't know if we are voting for or against the current regieme.

 

It also means there is prescious little opposition because everybody gets brought into the Government.

[simon]

I'm on the island for three reasons:

 

...

 

2 To escape from a country that is, in my view, run by a lunatic. (In the light of his latest revelations, I mean that seriously.) ...

 

But he's going isn't he? And isn't the Conservative Party starting to look like it might actually have a chance against Chancellor Brown come the next UK election? Which will certainly be sooner than 2011.

 

So do you think that the Conservatives will also lose the next UK election? What do you think of the new leader? Not worth fighting for?

[Politician]

You are so wrong.

 

(Minor point) Blair did not say that God ordered him to go to war. He said that he looked to his conscience to see whether he thought he was doing the right thing. And that ultimately God would judge whether he is right or wrong. Very different to your interpretation.

 

(More serious point) Lacking a party political system is very bad for the Island. When we vote, we don't know really, what we are voting for. Nobody declares who they'll support for Chief Minister and therefore we don't know if we are voting for or against the current regieme.

 

It also means there is prescious little opposition because everybody gets brought into the Government.

 

Maybe I have completely misunderstood the whole Blair thing. My take on the news report I saw was that he had looked to God for guidance as to whether to invade, and felt he had been given a clear signal.

 

I agree with you with the point about everybody being brought into the Government - that's why I made clear in the interview that I felt some MHKs should be excluded from Government, and that I would probably prefer to be one of them. Both here and in the UK, ambition is the petard by which politicians are hoist - ultimately silencing any real dissent or scrutiny.

[Politician]

I'm on the island for three reasons:

 

...

 

2 To escape from a country that is, in my view, run by a lunatic. (In the light of his latest revelations, I mean that seriously.) ...

 

But he's going isn't he? And isn't the Conservative Party starting to look like it might actually have a chance against Chancellor Brown come the next UK election? Which will certainly be sooner than 2011.

 

So do you think that the Conservatives will also lose the next UK election? What do you think of the new leader? Not worth fighting for?

 

I think the electoral system is very heavily stacked in favour of the Labour party. I believe I'm right in saying that they could win a narrow overall majority even if they gained a vote share 10% less than that of the Conservatives.

 

I'm not certain that Brown will be the next Labour leader. Far from being an "Iron Chancellor", I think he inherited a buoyant economy and has been incredibly lucky. Sooner or later his incompetence will result in economic disaster and his career will be finished. In fact, Blair may be holding out until that happens, although I have no evidence to support that viewpoint.

 

David Cameron I think is doing a good job. I would have favoured Ken Clarke, but he's definitely making headway. A Conservative victory is certainly a possibility in 2009 or 2010, but I fear they will inherit a country in a very bad state at that point.

[simon]

I think the electoral system is very heavily stacked in favour of the Labour party. I believe I'm right in saying that they could win a narrow overall majority even if they gained a vote share 10% less than that of the Conservatives.

 

Would you be more in favour of some sort of system under which govt would be elected according to which party won the greatest share of the national vote?

 

Alternatively - how would you go about re drawing the boundaries whilst maintaining a system of local representation in the national parliament ?

 

I would have favoured Ken Clarke.

 

Hard to not like him.

[Politician]

I think the electoral system is very heavily stacked in favour of the Labour party. I believe I'm right in saying that they could win a narrow overall majority even if they gained a vote share 10% less than that of the Conservatives.

 

Would you be more in favour of some sort of system under which govt would be elected according to which party won the greatest share of the national vote?

 

Alternatively - how would you go about re drawing the boundaries whilst maintaining a system of local representation in the national parliament ?

 

I would have favoured Ken Clarke.

 

Hard to not like him.

 

I would not favour a move towards proportional representation in the UK - the last time a Government gained an overall majority of the vote was in 1935. The result would be hung parliaments at every election, with all the subsequent horse-trading that ensues - in most cases, Britain would end up with a Labour/Liberal coalition, which proved disastrous in 1977/78 and I believe would be equally damaging nowadays.

 

I think the solution to Labour's inbuilt advantage is to equalise the number of voters in each constituency - at present, this varies wildly, with a staggering 102,000 electors in the Isle of Wight constituency, for instance. The argument Labour has traditionally used against this is that MPs for inner city constituencies have a heavier constituency caseload, and should therefore have fewer constituents. I disagree - they should be given more financial support to employ researchers and assistants, but constituency sizes should be equal for urban and rural seats.

 

This would, of course, mean that parliamentary seats had different boundaries to local councils - but that is the case anyway. In Worthing, for instance, nine of the thirteen wards belong to the seat of Worthing West and the remaining four to Worthing East & Shoreham.