Amanda Walker has announced that she will stand for Douglas East in September’s general election.

The former high school history teacher, who has lived in the constituency for over 20 years, previously stood in 2016.

She said she enjoyed the process, and had since also put herself forward for two council elections to gain experience.

Announcing her candidacy, Ms Walker said: ’I feel that there has been a huge polarisation of opinion and that the minority that turn out to vote are often activists leading to a distorted and unrepresentative election of candidates.

’I abhor the impact of the loud shouting of Facebook which demotes politics to simple for or against arguments and denies the nuance and balance needed for informed decisions.

She described herself as having been a keen environmentalist for decades, and said that she strongly believed that the island’s [UNESCO] biosphere status is ’not merely a label but must also be a call to action’.

Ms Walker’s priorities would be the environment (including housing), rebuilding the economy, education and health, ensuring an efficient and purposeful ferry terminal in Liverpool and opposing a cruise ship terminal - she added that ’we have all had enough of major capital projects after the promenade’.

She said that other priorities include: ’Winning the peace as we have lost the war on drugs, and the creative arts which I believe make a major contribution to our unique island and economy’.

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