Ramsey MHK and three times government Minister Dr Alex Allinson has announced he is not standing for a third term - and admits it was a difficult decision to take.

Dr Allinson has made public his decision to retire from politics some three months after he was sacked as Treasury Minister following a dispute with Chief Minister Alfred Cannan over policy direction.

He said: ‘I spent a long time last year speaking with my family and friends about not standing for a third term.

‘It was a difficult decision, but I have always tried to do what was right.’

The Ramsey MHK was first elected to the House of Keys in the 2016 general election and was given his first ministerial post, in the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, under then Chief Minister Howard Quayle in 2016, just weeks before the Covid pandemic hit the island.

Following the 2021 general election he unsuccessfully stood against Mr Cannan for the top job in government.

His rival nevertheless kept him in the Council of Ministers, appointing him first as Enterprise Minister and then Treasury Minister.

Dr Allinson admitted: ‘I regret not being successful in the 2021 election for Chief Minister.

‘I would have handled some of the challenges we faced differently but am proud of my time in Enterprise and Treasury and what we collectively achieved.’

Mr Cannan framed the policy division between the two as friction between left and right.

It is certainly true that from the get-go in Tynwald, Dr Allinson was keen to grapple pressing issues of social reform, pursuing his private member’s bill to legalise abortion in the face of fierce opposition by the pro-life lobby.

His other private member’s bill, on assisted dying, eventually made it through both branches of the Manx parliament but has stalled in the UK, with Lord Chancellor David Lammy insisting on further legal protections before it can receive Royal Assent.

Dr Allinson said he will continue to work hard to ensure the Assisted Dying Bill gets Royal Assent.

He moved to Ramey from London in 2001 and as one of the town’s GPs saw first-hand how issues like poverty, lack of employment opportunities, childcare and lack of affordable housing affected people’s physical and mental health.

‘Being elected to represent the people of Ramsey in our parliament in 2016 and again in 2021 were some of the proudest moments of my life and I will be eternally grateful for the local community who put their trust in me,’ he said.

‘Some of the most rewarding moments were simple things like helping a young couple get a Commissioner’s house, helping the husband of a local woman get a visa and making sure people obtained the benefits they were entitled to.

‘Being able to work with colleagues to bring in legislation to legalise abortion and provide for Assisted Dying as private member’s bills enabled Tynwald to respond to the needs and wishes of our people.

‘Being in the DHA and helping to draft new laws to protect people from domestic and sexual abuse were major steps forward in terms of social reform.

‘I was made DESC Minister just a few weeks before the Covid pandemic. The following year was incredibly draining as we worked to keep our island safe but then opened up after the successful vaccination campaign.

‘During this period, I lost friends and my father. I still regret not being able to be with them, but at that time I was working seven days a week as a member of our government and couldn’t take time off.’

His time in Treasury was marked by a series of u-turns, scrapping plans for an NHS Levy, backtracking on a suggestion to strip the self-employed of entitlement to Employed Person’s Allowance and abandoning proposals to end the state pension triple lock.

He was also criticised for his willingness to dip into reserves, or at least the interest generated on reserves, to balance the government books - while failing to control an ever-expanding public sector headcount.

But it was his plan to hike the minimum wage by 10%, to align it with the living wage, that ultimately did for his ministerial career - a policy castigated by business leaders who warned it would damage the economy and lead to firms closing and shedding jobs.

Given the brickbats hurled at him from social media and some colleagues in Tynwald, would he recommend others to take the plunge and stand in the September general election?

He said: ‘I would recommend getting involved in our political system to anyone who genuinely wants to make the island a better place.

‘But they need to go into the forthcoming election campaign with open eyes and a sense of realism when the next administration will have to deal with significant problems such as housing, access to healthcare and education, the cost of living and inter-generational fairness.’

To the people of Ramsey,

Being elected as MHK for Ramsey in 2016 and again in 2021 were some of the proudest moments of my life.

Over the last ten years I have strived to represent our community by working with individuals and their families, local businesses, the Commissioners and wider Government. I have been honoured to help people in crisis and play a part in further developing our town and community which I am lucky to call home.

I have spent six years holding Ministerial positions in Education, Sport and Culture, Enterprise and then Treasury. This has been during challenging times for our Island with COVID, a war in Europe and the resulting economic crises we have endured together.

Throughout this time, I would like to thank the people of Ramsey for their support, especially my family and friends who have stood beside me during some of the most difficult moments.

I entered politics to achieve change and make our Island a better place to live and I am proud of what we have achieved over the last ten years. But now is the time for me to step back and encourage new voices and ideas to represent the interests of Ramsey and the North.

I have decided not to stand in this year’s General Election.

Whilst I am proud of what we have achieved as an Island, and the resilience our people have shown, I am also acutely aware that many of our key priorities such as affordable housing, locally accessible health services, infrastructure investment in the town and improved public facilities have been delayed and stalled.

This administration still has three months to make sure we deliver on our promises, and I will continue working hard to complete the programmes we have already started, ensure our Assisted Dying Bill gets Royal Assent and help set out a progressive agenda for the future.

In September it is crucial that we vote for those who will promote a cohesive, progressive and open society that will allow the Island to flourish, despite what may be happening in the world around us. I have already met with several prospective candidates and wish them well.

Thank you again for your trust and support over the last ten years, it has been an honour to represent you in Tynwald.

Yours truly,

Dr Alex Allinson MHK