Tributes are being paid following the death of Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh.

Mr Wannenburgh, who was also chair of the Manx Utilities Authority, died on Sunday evening.

He had been a prominent figure in Manx politics since being elected as an independent Member of the House of Keys for Douglas North in the 2021 general election.

During his time in Tynwald, Mr Wannenburgh held a number of significant parliamentary and public-body roles.

He served as a political member of the Department of Home Affairs from 2021 and joined the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture in 2025.

Mr Wannenburgh was appointed chair of the Manx Utilities Authority in 2023, having previously served as chair of the Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading between 2021 and 2023.

He was also a member of the Economic Policy Review Committee and an alternate member of the Isle of Man delegation to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

Outside politics, Mr Wannenburgh had a long record of involvement in community and charitable causes.

He was the owner and operator of the Isle of Man Sporting and Dining Club, which raised money for local charities and other causes, and was a trustee of the Friends of Chernobyl’s Children.

Born in Cleethorpes, England, Mr Wannenburgh was married and had three sons.

Before entering public life, he served in the South African Navy between 1984 and 1986. He later studied at the Isle of Man Business School, graduating with a BA (Hons) through Liverpool John Moores University.

His interests included classic cars and rugby union.

Mr Wannenburgh’s brother, Walter Wannenburgh KC, is the Isle of Man’s Attorney General and the government’s senior legal adviser.

John Wannenburgh’s untimely and sad death is a rare occurrence in modern Manx political history, with only a small number of sitting Members of the House of Keys having died while still holding office.

The most recent example was Douglas South MHK Bill Malarkey, who died in February 2020 while serving as an elected member.

Follow our live blog below for tributes and reaction following the sad death of Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh...