John Houghton (Isle of Man)
Encyclopedia
John Houghton MHK
is a Member of the House of Keys
for Douglas North
and is currently Chairman of the Civil Service Commission
. He is an outspoken critic of both the Isle of Man Constabulary
and in particular its Chief Constable
, Mike Culverhouse
. Mr Houghton was a former Commandant
of the Special Constabulary and as such is a staunch ally of Manx Policeman and former DCC Kinrade
especially. Mr Houghton has been reprimanded or disciplined on a number of occasions by the President of Tynwald
and the Speaker of the House of Keys
for his unparliamentary language
.
On February 11th 2009, Houghton was accused of using language more akin to the Nazi Party during a debate about the rights of transsexuals after he spoke out against a gender recognition bill that will bring Isle of Man legislation into line with the UK.
"It defies common decency," he said. "I can't support it, I won't support it. It takes human rights too far."
Fellow MHK Peter Karran (Onchan) told iomotoday.co.im: "It's what the Nazis used to say about the Jews. I thought we had got away from this island being seen as a fascist, reactionary backwater."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11123.html
Member of the House of Keys
Member of the House of Keys, or MHK is the title given to a person who has been elected into the House of Keys, the lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man. There are twenty-four Members of the House of Keys. Elections are held every five years; the last election took place in...
is a Member of the House of Keys
House of Keys
The House of Keys is the directly elected lower branch of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man, the other branch being the Legislative Council....
for Douglas North
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
and is currently Chairman of the Civil Service Commission
Civil Service Commission
-Chairmen:*John Houghton MHK, 2004-date*George Waft MLC, 1996-2004*Clare Christian MLC, 1981-1982*Noel Cringle MLC, 1992-1996*Walter Gilbey, years unknown...
. He is an outspoken critic of both the Isle of Man Constabulary
Isle of Man Constabulary
The Isle of Man Constabulary is the organisation responsible for policing the Isle of Man, an island of 80,000 inhabitants situated equidistant from Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England.-Structures and Deployment:...
and in particular its Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
, Mike Culverhouse
Mike Culverhouse
Mike Culverhouse was Chief Constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary from 1999 until his retirement on 31 December 2007. He took over as Chief Constable following the retirement of Robin Oake QPM and was the first ever Chief Constable of the Isle of Man to be appointed who did not previously hold...
. Mr Houghton was a former Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Special Constabulary and as such is a staunch ally of Manx Policeman and former DCC Kinrade
Neil Kinrade
Neil Kinrade was the former Deputy Chief Constable of the Isle of Man Constabulary. He is best known for his part in the "Manx Bugging Scandal" of the late 1990s and 2000s, his subsequent suspension from duty and his fight to clear his name, taking High Court action against among others, the Chief...
especially. Mr Houghton has been reprimanded or disciplined on a number of occasions by the President of Tynwald
President of Tynwald
The President of Tynwald is the presiding officer at the sittings of Tynwald in Douglas and is elected by the members of Tynwald from amongst their number...
and the Speaker of the House of Keys
Speaker of the House of Keys
The Speaker of the House of Keys is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the house at its first sitting after an election. He is responsible for controlling the procedure of the House and for...
for his unparliamentary language
Unparliamentary language
In a Westminster system, unparliamentary language is words or phrases that are deemed to be inappropriate for use in the House whilst it is in session. This includes, but is not limited to the suggestion of dishonesty or profanity. The most prohibited case is any suggestion that another member is...
.
On February 11th 2009, Houghton was accused of using language more akin to the Nazi Party during a debate about the rights of transsexuals after he spoke out against a gender recognition bill that will bring Isle of Man legislation into line with the UK.
"It defies common decency," he said. "I can't support it, I won't support it. It takes human rights too far."
Fellow MHK Peter Karran (Onchan) told iomotoday.co.im: "It's what the Nazis used to say about the Jews. I thought we had got away from this island being seen as a fascist, reactionary backwater."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11123.html
Governmental Positions
- Chairman of the Civil Service CommissionCivil Service Commission-Chairmen:*John Houghton MHK, 2004-date*George Waft MLC, 1996-2004*Clare Christian MLC, 1981-1982*Noel Cringle MLC, 1992-1996*Walter Gilbey, years unknown...
, 2004-date - Member of the Whitely Council, 2004-2009