A Tynwald Day petitioner says he is ’bloody annoyed’ after being told his petitions are all out of order - even before they were presented.

’The only thing that’s out of order is the clerk of Tynwald who has assumed powers he simply does not have,’ said Trevor Cowin.

Mr Cowin submitted no fewer than eight petitions for redress of grievance - and then submitted a ninth questioning whether the clerk should continue in his role.

When that petition was ruled out of time, he lodged a 10th questioning that decision - but this was also ruled out of time.

Mr Cowin had received an acknowledgement from the head of Tynwald administration that his eight petitions would be presented on his behalf at Tynwald Hill tomorrow (Monday), by clerk of Tynwald Roger Phillips.

Once presented, petitions are referred to Tynwald’s standing orders committee to decide whether they are in order.

But Mr Cowin was shocked to received an email from Mr Phillips on July 1 informing him that none of his petitions are in order.

The petitioner has now contacted all Tynwald members to complain that Mr Phillips’ actions are against standing orders.

Mr Cowin wrote: ’The clerk is obviously under the mistaken belief that he, rather than your committee, has the power to determine whether petitions for redress are "out of order".

’It is simply wrong that a person in his position who has been entrusted to deliver my petitions to the Governor should have decided before your committee has even seen my petitions that they are "out of order".’

Mr Cowin asked for an assurance that Mr Phillips will be excluded from any involvement in his petitions - either by presenting them on Tynwald Hill, taking part in the standing orders committee considerations or in preparing the committee’s report to Tynwald.

He then lodged a ninth grievance about his petitions being ruled out of order.

This petition states that Mr Phillip’s actions ’demonstrate an abuse of his office’, a ’complete disregard’ for Tynwald standing orders and ’must cast doubt over his continued employment by Tynwald’.

However, this petition, too, was rejected as the deadline was 5pm on Wednesday July 1 - so he submitted a 10th in protest at that decision, claiming there is no deadline set out in standing orders.

This petition was also ruled out of time.

Mr Cowin’s petitions cover topics including overseas aid, the site of the proposed new Peel sewage works, planning policy and a refusal to investigate his allegations of maladministration against DEFA.

Mr Phillips explained that all either should be dealt with by way of petition of doleance or do not identify a personal grievance.