Glenfaba and Peel MHK Kate Lord-Brennan has announced that she will not seek re-election at the 2026 General Election, bringing to an end more than eight years in Tynwald.

In a statement, Ms Lord-Brennan said the decision had come ‘after a great deal of thought’ some time ago, but had delayed announcing it while continuing to fulfil her responsibilities as an MHK.

‘It has been a true privilege to represent and advocate for the people of Glenfaba and Peel - across its town and villages - on the local issues that matter to them and in the national decisions that affect our island,’ she said.

‘I am keen to return to the private sector in some capacity. Public service will remain important to me, and I will continue to take an interest in the future of the constituency, and the island.’

Ms Lord-Brennan served on the Legislative Council from 2018 to 2021, before being elected as an MHK in Glenfaba and Peel during the last General Election, then also serving as a Minister for the Cabinet Office from 2021 to 2024.

During her time in Tynwald, she has also served held positions such as vice-chair of the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading, vice-chair of the Public Sector Pensions Authority, and chair of the Public Services Commission.

‘My term as your MHK has seen me campaign successfully on important issues, stand firm against the odds and secure significant outcomes in Tynwald,’ the statement added.

‘By far the most important part of being your MHK has been getting to know the people and communities I have worked to represent and help, to the best of my ability.’

Ms Lord-Brennan was also recently centre-stage of a controversial final Tynwald sitting of the year, in which fellow members voted not to censure her over social media posts and a letter to the Examiner which included scathing criticism of Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper.

She accused Mr Hooper of being ‘antagonistic by nature, malevolent by action’ in relation to his delegated planning appeal decisions.

Mr Hooper complained, describing the language used by Ms Lord-Brennan as ‘abhorrent’ and said it contained unfounded allegations and attacks on his character.

After plenty of debate, Tynwald voted against censuring Ms Lord-Brennan by 12 votes to seven in the Keys and six votes to two in LegCo.

In her statement announcing she would not be running again in September, Ms Lord-Brennan said: ‘My time in Tynwald has also involved battles that were not won, but which needed to be fought - including deeply felt and complex issues requiring close attention to detail, determination and strong legislative scrutiny.

‘The island needs serious politics, strong representation and people who are prepared to engage closely with difficult and complex issues. I hope that those principles will still feature at the heart of our public life.’

She concluded by thanking constituents, friends and political colleagues for their support throughout her time in office.