Candidates for future elections could be forced to declare conflicts of interest before standing after backbench MHKs outvoted the Council of Ministers.

Currently, members of the House of Keys have to declare any interests after being elected, as do any members of the Legislative Council selected by MHKS.

A new clause put forward by Onchan MHK Julie Edge to the Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Bill 2020 would require candidates to detail any conflicts of interest that may arise if they were so elected to Tynwald or a local authority.

Ms Edge (pictured) told the Keys: ’It only seems right that the public have a right to know the full interests of any candidate standing to represent them, providing opportunity for a better informed process when assessing candidates.’

She added: ’How many times have we all heard in the public domain, during every administration, negative comments about why decisions were made, insinuating that decisions were made due to perceived bias. This clause will remove that doubt for the electorate as it provides transparency from the outset.

’Some of the most used words in the house, particularly by our current government, are openness and transparency and therefore I hope that CoMin and MHKs will support this new clause, to provide that transparency to the people of the Isle of Man.’

The clause was opposed by CoMin with ministers saying it might prevent people, who presumably do not wish the public to know their business, from coming forward. Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said he had a concern about the additional clause as it ’could actually put people off standing’.

He said while it is fully accepted Tynwald members should declare their interests candidates ’may well have interests that they intend, if elected, to dispose of’.

Mr Ashford added: ’I think at a time when we’re trying to encourage a diversity of candidates to stand for election, then particularly those who may have wide ranging business experience, do we really want to be putting it out there that they have to declare all of their interests, similar to MHKs, even before being elected and in many cases not even being elected.

’I think there will be people, who will actually think twice about standing if they feel all of their interests are going to be put out there when they won’t even necessarily be elected.’

The new clause, seconded by Daphne Caine (Garff) was supported by all backbench MHKs with the exception of Chris Robertshaw (Douglas East) and Ralph Peake (Douglas North) and opposed by the Council of Ministers.

Mr Robertshaw said he had concerns over the wording of the clause.

However, Ms Edge said this can be resolved by the Legislative Council.

The Bill will now go to LegCo where MLCs will be able to recommend their own changes.