Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey lifts the lid on the tempestuous early years of Liberal Vannin and opens up about being the victim of harassment. In the latest of his in-depth interviews with the island’s 24 MHKs, PAUL SPELLER also quizzes the Minister on his controversial handling of plans to sell the former Ramsey Courthouse building.

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BILL Malarkey is the first Minister of the new administration to encounter full-blooded vitriol for his actions - but he is no stranger to controversy.

The Douglas South MHK’s early career was dominated by his acrimonious departure from Liberal Vannin.

He may now be back on Kate Beecroft’s Christmas card list, but it’s safe to say any post coming from the north of the island is likely to be less friendly.

We meet at the height of anger over plans to sell Ramsey Courthouse, which has been put on the market for £475,000.

His frustration is clear. As is the fact he and his officers were caught off-guard by the strength of feeling that has been generated in the past two weeks.

That is, in part, down to their belief they had kept Ramsey Commissioners - who have now laid down an offer of just under £400,000 - in the loop all along and there was no attempt to mislead.

Rumours have flown around about the motivation and timing for putting the building on the open market.

’There is so much misinformation deliberately being put into the press,’ the Minister asserts. ’Most of it is coming from north of Snaefell.’

The Minister - who in the run-up to the 2016 election led a successful campaign to save the Pinewood pub in Pulrose and turn it into a social club - admits that if it was his constituency, he would probably take the same stance as Ramsey Commissioners.

He points out that the Pinewood situation was different, though, as the pub was not in public ownership.

But, he adds: ’I don’t see Ramsey Courthouse as a national treasure like the Villa Marina or the NSC.

’Yes, it was good for the community of Ramsey and, if I was Ramsey MHK or a Ramsey commissioner I would be fighting for it, because it would be my job to do so.

’I am a national politician, looking after the taxpayers’ money and I have got to get what I would consider the best deal for all the taxpayers in the Isle of Man - not just Ramsey.’

The issue has been on the agenda since Christmas time, he adds, and he says he was contacted by a third party which obliged the department to ’go through procedures’.

’We already had a valuation from the government valuer. I asked for an estate agent to value it as well. The government estate agent, Chrystals, is the one that came back with the price.’

On his desk sits a letter he sent to Ramsey Commissioners last month - prior to the issue blowing up in the House of Keys.

’I am quite frustrated that there are commissioners who are going to the press saying I am not talking to Ramsey Commissioners,’ he adds.

’All of Ramsey seems to think we should have come and offered it to them first. If there is no interest whatsoever (from the private sector), it puts Ramsey Commissioners in a better position.’

The problem is, of course, there appears to be serious interest from the private sector.

Mr Malarkey says there is no guarantee that a private sector bid will be successful, even if it is higher than anything from the Commissioners.

’I will do nothing until I have spoken to Ramsey Commissioners,’ he pledges.

’What I don’t want is any third party thinking we are using them (to push up the price).’

Being on the receiving end of anger is nothing new for Mr Malarkey, who is in his second stint as an MHK.

He was first elected in 2006 - as a member of Liberal Vannin; and lost his seat in 2011 - no longer a member of Liberal Vannin. He was replaced by Kate Beecroft, now the LibVan leader, and it is fair to say Mr Malarkey’s brief encounter with the party did not end happily.

Mr Malarkey was part of the Liberal Vannin team at the very beginning, but it seems it did not take long for things to turn sour - especially after the 2006 election.

’I left because it was not a party, it was a dictatorship,’ he says. ’I was told what I could do and what I could not do.’

He says that was not the script he read before the election: ’In 2006, I think we had eight or nine candidates going forward. Only Peter Karran and I got in, which was a bit of a frustration.

’After I got in, I got told I was not allowed to take a department. That had never been established. I was told I was not allowed to be a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

’I found out on the Liberal Vannin website that I was deputy leader!’’

He continues: ’Liberal Vannin in those days was totally disorganised and I was getting more and more frustrated with being held back.

’In the 2007 Budget debate - and, if you go back and look, the 2007 Budget was probably the best budget in many years - I had a note from Peter Karran saying "You have to vote against this".

’I sent a note back asking why. He sent a back saying "Liberal Vannin are the opposition".’

He voted as instructed, but faced a backlash from his supporters.

The following year, he made it clear he would not vote against the Budget and that he wanted to take a department job. He offered his resignation and waited to see if it would be accepted.

’I got a phone call from the press the following morning wanting to know why I had left. I had no response from the party itself.’

The bitterness has subsided. He remains tactful about whether that has anything to do with the fact that Peter Karran is no longer at the helm.

But, is it tricky now, sitting at the same Council of Ministers table as Kate Beecroft?

’Kate and I share an office and we are extremely good friends,’ he says. ’We decided the past was the past and we had to work together in CoMin and for our constituency.’

Mr Malarkey, 65, returned to the Keys in 2015, winning the by-election after David Cretney moved up to Legislative Council.

He accepts the criticism he has endured over the Courthouse situation goes with the territory, but feels a line is crossed if family members face abuse.

The MHK has endured much worse.

In 2011 he was the target of a constituent who was unhappy with the Department of Social Care - of which Mr Malarkey was a member at the time.

He received threatening emails and the man was also seen taking pictures of his home.

Concern was so great, a panic button was installed in the bedroom.

The man, who had mental health problems, was eventually convicted of harassment.

It was a stressful time. But it has not deterred Mr Malarkey.

’I love my job. There is so much job satisfaction out of helping people, where you know you made a difference.’