The Legislative Council is set to lose its role in electing the chief minister, after a knife-edge vote in the House of Keys this morning.

Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas overcame opposition from Chief Minister Howard Quayle and Speaker Juan Watterson, to bring a law removing MLCs’ right to vote for the chief minister a crucial step closer.

The Council of Ministers (Amendment) Bill will now be sent to Tynwald for signature, after Mr Thomas scrambled to gather the 17 votes needed in the House of Keys to allow him to do so, under rules permit MHKs to still push through laws even after Legislative Council has blocked them.

There were clear concerns that, with two of the 24 MHKs absent through illness and another stranded in England due to problems at Manchester airport, he might not get enough support.

But MHKs voted 17-4 in favour and there were cheers from the benches when the result was declared.

It means Mr Thomas can be confident that the bill will receive the 17 signatures required in Tynwald for it to become law. It will mean that, rather than the whole of Tynwald having a say in who becomes the next chief minister, just the House of Keys will vote.

Those against: Chief Minister Howard Quayle, Speaker Juan Watterson, Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot and Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew).

More coverage in this week’s Manx Independent.