Peter Karran's Party

[simon]

IOM Online

 

NEW POLITICAL PARTY LAUNCHED

FREE transport for all, a national coastguard to tackle drug smuggling and a 'mini stock exchange' are among the radical proposals of a new political party.

It is also demanding compulsory insurance to pay for nursing and residential care and supporting Third World nations by bringing people to the Island for training.

 

The Liberal Vannin party has been launched by outspoken Onchan MHK Peter Karran.

 

He first mooted a new party in October 2004 when he quit the Manx Labour Party after 20 years, saying he could not longer support members taking government posts.

 

He said the party will contest a 'number of seats' in November's general election, but so far only two members have declared – Mr Karran in Onchan and Port Erin Commissioner Tony Wright in Rushen.

 

'We believe that the success of a society is measured by the way it looks after and cares for its weakest members,' Mr Karran said.

 

'It should provide a sustainable economy for all, and should have government that is open and transparent, that serves the people, and not vice versa.

 

'The party believes in an inclusive society, not an exclusive one, a society where everybody is valued.'

 

He added the party will work with government, but will question 'the strategy of crisis-management'.

[%age]

I think Peter Karran would be best to not dabble with Political Party's - not yet anyway.

 

His strength is his individuality and getting on board with a newcomer to the scene is a risk. There is only one Peter Karran.

 

He gained more votes than any other MHK on the Island last time and he has masses of support from your average person in the street - we know what he is doing is decent and honest, and that is something which seems to be alien to some of our politicians.

 

Anything that could lessen Perter Karran's presence in Tynwald is not a good thing in my opinion although it is possible that if a few more candidates joined and were able to guide, temper and support Peter Karran's presence then yes, there could be a very worthwhile and much needed force within our political system.

[Jacqueline]

For years Peter has been famous for his repeated, "I believe" statements. Not sure I can cope with the next fews years of, "We believes".

 

'We believe that the success of a society is measured by the way it looks after and cares for its weakest members,' Mr Karran said.

 

Sadly, he may have the opportunity to put belief into action given the names that have already been declared.

[%age]

Tony Wright is described as Liberal Vannin/PAG.

 

Isle of Man Newspapers Candidates Details

 

PAG arent a party are they? They keep saying they aren't anyway.

 

Peter Karran has been fraternising with PAG and I believe, think, reckon, understand (will do) he is best to keep away, as to my mind there are unplesant and certainly unpopular forces within that society.

[newsnight]

The launch of the Liberal Vannin Party will give everyone on the Island a chance to rid Manx politics of the members of the Tynwald who have proved by their actions that they are not fit to be representatives of the people.

 

Peter Karran has proved that he was right over and over again when he showed the people just what was really going on, and how much it was going to cost them.

 

The majority of people are now ready to have big changes in government because they have finally understood that the people who are responsible for the scandals, the incompetent mismanagement of the people’s money, the sleaze and the way they hold the electorate in utter contempt must not be rewarded by being elected for another five years. The time has come to say enough and they must go.

 

Although only two candidates have declared so far, there are actually more waiting to declare and enough Liberal Vannin candidates, if elected to give a majority in the Tynwald. Peter as the Leader of the Party will be able to prove to the people that an honest man with the best interests of the people always in the fore of his mind will make a government with the same values. That is what is needed right now.

 

It takes just a few moments to mark an X in the box next to a Liberal Vannin candidate but by doing that you will be making the most important contribution to open honest and true democratic accountability in government you could make. I think we deserve this. We should support Peter and his party because he has proved the hard way that he has stood by us and has fought for all of us and will continue to do so if we give him and his party our votes.

 

It’s time for some big changes let’s make them for the better for all of us.

 

Peter has nothing to do with the Positive Action Group, the Liberal Vannin Party is exactly that a Party, and if you cant cope with years of "I believe" or "we believe" maybe you will be contented to have a repeat of the last five years of this present government, only much, much worse?

[thebees]

Peter Karran is cool. At least he isn't, 'just in it for the pension'

[manxman8180]

Although only two candidates have declared so far, there are actually more waiting to declare and enough Liberal Vannin candidates, if elected to give a majority in the Tynwald. Peter as the Leader of the Party will be able to prove to the people that an honest man with the best interests of the people always in the fore of his mind will make a government with the same values. That is what is needed right now.

And if that happens (i.e. a majority in Tynwald) that would mean a good chance of Peter Karran becoming the next Chief Minister?

 

Sounds like enough reason to avoid supporting this party then.

 

You will find a lot of support for PK (although I would point out that as well as occasionally striking gold with his claims, he has also wasted a considerable amount of time and money with utter nonsense) as a member of the Keys, but I would guess considerably less for him being the CM.

 

And you sound like a spokesperson for this little group. If you intend to gain support, we need less soundbites and more definitive policy statements please.

 

Any numbskull can come up with what you have said so far.

[Speckled Frost]

Two things:

 

Party politics doesn't work in the Island. There are only two factions - CoMin and the rest.

Why have MHKs having to tow a party line when there is no real benefit in such a system.

Better to have independent MHKs who can vote freely on any issue. Their mandate should only be the promises they made to the electorate during hustings.

 

Secondly, this party seems to have no basis in reality. There seems to be a heady mixture of nationalism and pie-in-the-sky liberalism which would fall flat on its face when put into practice.

Many of these promises can only be fulfilled with a raise in taxes - a death knell for any party.

 

Nice sentiment Peter but I agree with %age - it will only weaken his position.

[Politician]

The problem is that Peter Karran is the type of politician who is more comfortable on the outside looking in, rather than on the inside looking out. His stock-in-trade is criticising Government shortcomings and challenging accepted wisdom; his natural status is in opposition and not in Government. In his present capacity, he serves a useful role in providing "checks and balances", but as Chief Minister I think he could sink like a stone and cause enormous damage to the island's economy. Already aspects of his manifesto worry me - "free travel for all" (means travel will be paid for through increased taxes rather than at the point of purchase) and "compulsory insurance" (means a new stealth tax). At a time when Jersey and Guernsey are raising personal taxes due to their precarious financial position, the Isle of Man needs to be cutting them to put clear blue water between ourselves and our competitors.

[The Old Git]

I've always given one of my votes to Peter. I think he's well worth it for the nuisance value of having him in Tynwald.

 

Unfortunately this Liberal Vannin party is less likely to make me vote for him.

[newsnight]

1. I am not a party spokesperson I am just a voter with an opinion.

 

2. If you think Peter Karran has wasted time and money just compare it to the hundreds of millions of pounds generations of Manx will be forced to pay thanks to the blunders and worse of the present lot I think any reasonable person would agree that on balance Peter has done far more good and has fought for the people as he was elected to do.

 

3. Party politics works and can work in the Isle of Man too. I would rather have members voting to an elected mandate and a party leader, than a bunch of self serving MHk's hoping to get their wages bumped up by a Chief Minster they voted for

 

4. When people resort to the use of insults they have lost the argument. Disparagment and insulting comments are a reflection of an ignorant mind if I can respect your opinion in spite of disagreeing with it could you try to do the same?

 

5. Peter Karran has proved his bona fides the present lot have proven their mala fides and it has cost a the people of the Isle of Man a fortune too.

 

6. You think Peter Karran would'nt make a good Chief Minister? What ?Was Richard Corkill a good example then of what a Chief Minister should be? Did he do any good at all for the Island? Don't forget neither you or I got any say in his appointment to that office. Let the people decide its called Democracy in action.

 

7. I think the majority of the electorate of the Isle of Man want to see big changes for the better and I think they will vote for them and that means voting out the MHK's who carry the responsibilty for the horrors of the past five years.

[Fleur]

I've always given one of my votes to Peter.

Having always lived in a single seat constituency, you have no idea how the fact you can do that makes my hackles rise.

 

But on the multiple choice theme, I wonder how many votes Peter would get if the people of Onchan only had one vote?

[newsnight]

If the people of Onchan only had one vote it would be Peter Karran representing them in the Parliament. You are not seriously suggesting that Richard Corkill would win over PK are you? Peter Karran gets more votes cast in his favour than any other candidate and that's a fact. You might wish it were not so but it is. Peter is the people's choice. If it had been just one vote my guess is Richard Corkill would never have been an MHK in the first place, I think that would'nt have been a bad thing either.

[Ushtey]

Two things:

 

Party politics doesn't work in the Island. There are only two factions - CoMin and the rest.

Why have MHKs having to tow a party line when there is no real benefit in such a system.

Better to have independent MHKs who can vote freely on any issue. Their mandate should only be the promises they made to the electorate during hustings.

 

 

Whilst I applaud Peter for following with his beliefs, I am not in favour of party politics on the Isle of Man. Having lived with them in the UK, I do not want to be in a position where the people who are effectively running the Government, are not necessarily elected and certainly not accountable. Irrespective of who is selected in Onchan I would hope that I can speak to them directly (well, two of them if I am fortunate enough to be elected myself) and that they will be accountable for their own actions.

 

I have been invited to join various pressure groups and "partys" in the run up to this election, but I would rather stand by myself. I don't want to have to toe a party line on an issue I may disagree with and I don't want to have to worry what other "party" members are saying and how they may impact on my results. I have always been proud that the Island is Governed by individuals who stand and fall by their own actions, I certainly wouldn't want to throw that away.

 

In saying that though, I don't see any harm in a group of MHKs who genuinely agree on a number of issues, publically supporting each other. After all, their actions will impact on us all.

 

I would be interested to know what any of the "partys" would do, be that Labour, PAG, Liberal Vannin or any other, if they had two candidates standing in the same constituency. Would they suggest one moves and stands elsewhere, to increase the chances of getting more "members" elected, or would they support both candidates equally?

 

Perhaps in areas where there are a number of candidates, they will ask individuals to switch to uncontested seats, or seats where they don't feel the electorate is best representated by declared candidates? Would the people of Douglas South want one of the candidates in Onchan to switch to contest their election, for example?

 

Importantly, what would people think if they did follow such a path?

 

 

The results of the last election in Onchan were as follows:

ONCHAN 6874 registered to vote, 3914 of those voted.

 

G. Cannell 1624

(3 Seats) R. Corkill 2242

A. Earnshaw 1929

P. Karran 2305

Ms. L. Kelly 447

D. Quirk 1551

 

PERCENTAGE TURNOUT 56.94 TOTAL VOTES CAST 10098. Which means that on average each person cast 2.5 votes.

 

It's impossible to say who would have been elected from the above if it was a single vote system, but an STV system might give wuch an indication. Either way, it was very close between PK and RC on the day.

[The Old Git]

I've always given one of my votes to Peter.

Having always lived in a single seat constituency, you have no idea how the fact you can do that makes my hackles rise.

 

I had a feeling it would irritated someone, which is why I phrased it that way rather than just saying I voted for Peter

 

But on the multiple choice theme, I wonder how many votes Peter would get if the people of Onchan only had one vote?

 

Good question. I used to give one vote to Peter because he keeps them on their toes, one to Richard Corkill because he could represent the IOM in a better light than Peter ever could (Peter sometimes reminds me on John Prescot when he speaks) and then had one vote left for whoever I thought interesting.

 

If it was just one vote in Onchan I don't think that Peter would still get the amount of support that he enjoys at the moment