The leader of the Liberal Vannin Party says she no longer wants to be known by her married name.

Following a relationship breakdown, Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft (pictured below) says she now wants to be known as Kate Costain.

She announced her name change in an extraordinary legal notice published in this week’s Examiner.

It states: ’Kate Beecroft MHK wishes it to be known that she will not be responsible for any debt incurred by her husband, Mr Anthony Leslie Beecroft, and that she now wishes to be known by the name of Kate Costain.’

The notice refers any correspondence to her lawyer.

Husband Tony said, from the couple’s home in Crosby, that it was a ’personal issue’ and he was ’devastated’ to see the notice in the newspaper. He insisted that this had no impact on - or was any reflection on - his businesses and personal standing.

Asked about the notice, Miss Costain told the Manx Independent: ’It is a personal matter and the notice was placed on my lawyer’s advice.

’I hope that you can understand that and why I don’t want to give any more information. Even an MHK is entitled to some privacy.’

Miss Costain began her political career as a Braddan commissioner and was first elected MHK for Douglas South in 2011. She was health minister from 2016 until she resigned in 2018.