Isle of Man General Election: What are the key issues facing the Island?

By the end of this week, people in the Isle of Man will have chosen 24 new politicians to represent them in the House of Keys.

Many candidates are campaigning on local issues across the 12 constituencies they are standing in, but once the new parliament is formed, it's the national issues that will take centre stage.

Below are some of the key issues the new Isle of Man Government will be facing in the next fives years.

Affordable Housing

Housing has been a growing issue in the Isle of Man over the years and is an issue that has been highlighted in most, if not all the constituencies in this year's election.

While news houses are continuing to be built on the Island, many are arguing for more affordable housing to take priority, particularly to encourage young people to stay on the Island and even move over to it.

Brexit

The Isle of Man public did not have a say in the 2016 EU referendum. Instead the Manx government have been in discussions with the UK Government about what Brexit will mean for the Island. All Crown Dependencies are formally managed by the Ministry of Justice, but the Manx Government still engage in discussions with other departments across Westminster when necessary.

A shortage in staff in the Island, particularly those in hospitality, has often been linked to the UK's departure from the EU. The rights of the Manx fishing industry has also come into question since the referendum.

Dealing with the repercussions of Brexit will continue to be an issue for the next administration, coupled with keeping a strong relationship between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom.

Climate Change

Arguably one of the biggest issues facing the world right now is climate change, and its something many of the candidates have been addressing featuring regularly in manifestos.

The last government administration announced a climate change plan with the aim for the Isle of Man to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Some are claiming this figure should be reduced and a quicker response should be the focus.

Whatever the targets, making sure the Island is moving to work in a more climate-friendly way will be a key focus for the next administration.

Covid-19 Recovery

Despite the Isle of Man spending a large amount of time 'Covid-free' during the pandemic, the last 17 months has had a large effect on the Island. Three separate lockdowns have had a huge impact on Manx society both socially and economically.

In the short-term, booster jabs will start to be rolled out towards the end of this year and with the borders almost fully reopened, any new variants will need to be considered as people start to move around again.

In relation to the economy, the world-famous TT races have been cancelled two years running, alongside a large amount of money spent on salary support schemes, similar to that of furlough in the UK.

The next administration will without a doubt be dealing with the repercussions of Covid-19 whether that be tackling any future variants of the virus or rebuilding the Manx economy.

Large Infrastructure Projects

The Department of Infrastructure takes most of the responsibility for the projects on the Isle of Man, but the planning funding and scrutiny of these projects is something that is seen across parliament.

Projects worth of note include the Douglas Promenade which has cost tens of millions of pounds and has faced multiple delays, now with work ongoing for over three years.

The Liverpool ferry terminal is another project that has been delayed with a cost of over £38 million.

Making sure these projects are completed to the correct standard will be something the next government will be focusing on.

Tourism

Visitors travelling into the Isle of Man had largely been put on hold throughout most of the pandemic after the borders were closed in March 2020.

Its only in the last couple of months that tourists have once again been allowed into the Island and encouraging people back in a post-pandemic world is something the Department for Enterprise will be focusing on.

The Isle of Man General Election takes place on the 23 September 2021 and you can follow ITV Granada Reports coverage online and on the programme on election day.