Peter Karran makes political return after a decade in retirement

After a decade away from the House of Keys, former MHK Peter Karran is making a return to frontline politics, standing for the Liberal Vannin Party he set up in Onchan, at this month's General Election.

Mr Karran brings more than three decades of experience in Manx politics, having first entered the House of Keys in 1985 as the youngest elected Member at the time.

He went on to represent Middle and, later, Onchan for a total of 31 years before retiring from the Keys in 2016.

Now, aged 66, ten years on from his retirement, he says he has been driven back into politics by what he sees as the Island going backwards in areas including housing, pensions and public services.

‘I can't watch it slide back,’ is the message behind his decision to stand again.

Mr Karran founded the Liberal Vannin Party in 2006 and served as its leader until 2014. He was also Minister for Education and Children between 2011 and 2012.

He says his long experience in government and Tynwald means he can offer practical leadership at a challenging time for the Isle of Man.

‘I believe that my experience will help in a very challenging time, and help set the direction of government for our nation,’ he said when announcing his decision to stand.

His campaign is centred on what he describes as a practical programme focused on housing, public services, government accountability and economic growth.

Housing is among his key priorities. Mr Karran wants to see more homes available to local workers and believes planning and housing policy should do more to help people onto the property ladder.

He is also calling for shared and part-equity mortgage schemes, alongside restricted-use housing aimed at local workers.

On public services, he wants greater accountability, including the reintroduction of administration committees for services such as health.

He believes decision-making should sit more firmly with elected politicians rather than unelected officials and arm's-length organisations.

Mr Karran is also calling for a review of government spending, greater scrutiny of quangos and a more targeted approach to benefits, while saying existing commitments to pensioners should be honoured.

On the economy, he wants to attract businesses back to the Island while protecting its low-tax model and supporting local firms facing the disadvantages of the island's size and transport costs.

He is also calling for greater competition in areas such as banking and insurance and improvements to the Island's digital infrastructure.

For Mr Karran, however, the decision to return is ultimately about more than individual policies.

After 45 years since he first stood for the House of Keys, he says the principles that brought him into public life remain unchanged: protecting vulnerable people, rewarding hard work, holding those in power to account and creating opportunities for people to prosper.

‘I still believe government should protect the vulnerable, reward hard work, hold power to account, and create the conditions for everyone to flourish,’ he says.

Now, after ten years away from the Keys, Peter Karran is asking voters in Onchan to give him the opportunity to put that experience back to work.

Peter is one of four Liberal Vannin candidates at this election, the other three being: Gary Chambers standing in Rushen; Lawrie Hooper standing in Ramsey; Paul Weatherall standing in Ayre & Michael.

The General Election takes place on September 24.