‘I won’t let you down’: Candidate Paul Weatherall makes his pitch to Ayre and Michael voters

Liberal Vannin candidate Paul Weatherall is standing for election to represent Ayre and Michael, saying he wants to bring greater openness, transparency and decisive action to the Isle of Man’s government.

Mr Weatherall, who stood in the constituency at the 2021 General Election, said many of the issues facing the Island five years ago remain unresolved.

He believes affordable housing is among the most pressing concerns and is backing a Liberal Vannin commitment to allocate £100 million over the next five years to local authorities and the Island’s Housing Agency to build affordable homes.

‘The lack of affordable homes for rent and purchase is perhaps the most obvious example,’ he says in his manifesto, criticising what he describes as ‘five years of dithering and indecision from the current administration’.

Mr Weatherall is currently vice-chair of Ballaugh Parish Commissioners and has also recently been co-opted as a governor of Ballaugh Primary School.

He says his experience in local government, both on the Isle of Man and previously in Scotland, has given him an understanding of how government decisions affect communities.

Born near Durham, Mr Weatherall lived in Scotland from the 1980s, becoming a senior local government officer in Renfrewshire and later Argyll & Bute.

His experience included working with elected politicians and officers across departments, preparing budgets, advising on policy and delivering projects ‘on time and on budget’.

He moved to the Isle of Man in 1997 and has worked at King William’s College, the International Business School at the Nunnery, Milntown and Manx National Heritage. At Manx National Heritage, he helped develop its iMuseum service, before retiring in 2016.

He has also run businesses, including a small printing company in Kenilworth, a bed and breakfast in France with his wife, and an IT business on the island.

Mr Weatherall says his priorities include health and social care, energy security, farming and food security, nature and reform of government.

On health, he supports transforming the NHS into a National Health and Care Service, with the aim of reducing waiting lists and providing more joined-up care.

He is particularly focused on Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital, describing it as ‘a vital facility for Ayre & Michael residents’ which has been poorly maintained over the years.

He wants to see closer integration between the hospital, Ramsey Group GP Practice and local dental services, as well as consultation over which treatments and procedures can be provided in Ramsey rather than requiring residents to travel to Douglas.

He also wants greater support for those requiring social care, including consideration of proposals for clinical care to be provided free to those in need, as happens in Scotland.

Energy security is another key issue, with Mr Weatherall arguing that the island must reduce its reliance on gas-fired electricity and increase the use of renewable energy.

He supports greater use of wind and solar power, including assistance for households to install solar panels, and believes developing renewable energy will create opportunities for new jobs and skills.

As a candidate for a largely rural constituency, he also places significant emphasis on farming, fishing, food security and the island’s natural environment.

Mr Weatherall wants government to prioritise local produce, provide farmers with support for marketing and regulatory compliance, and reward land management that improves biodiversity, conserves peat and supports tree planting.

Above all, however, he says he would make openness and accountability central to his work as an MHK.

‘Commercial confidentiality should not be an excuse to hide behind when people are concerned about how our money is being spent by government,’ he says.

He is also calling for faster and more comprehensive responses to Freedom of Information requests, greater use of open data and clearer scrutiny of government spending and projects.

‘I will be open and transparent with you, and will press for our government to do the same,’ he says.

Mr Weatherall is asking voters in Ayre and Michael to put their trust in him at the General Election on Thursday, September 24.

‘Be assured, if you vote for me, I won’t let you down,’ he says.

His message to voters is summed up in his campaign slogan: ‘Together, we can make a difference.’