Speaker of the House of Keys
Encyclopedia
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 authoritative interpretation of its standing orders. He sets the business of the House and authorises the order of business of the House for each sitting.
The Speaker is an impartial member of the House and only votes on motions where the division of votes is exactly half in favour and half against. He then votes in favour of the status quo
.
All Speakers from 1750 to 1898 were either members of the Moore or Taubman families or married into them. Until 1866 the Keys was non-elected.
The present Speaker is Steve Rodan
, who was elected in 2006.
Before the House was elected in 1867 the role of Speaker was assumed to be for life. Thus when Edward Moore Gawne
resigned in 1867 he was the first Speaker not to die in office. Since then, although it is possible to resign the Office or even now fail to be re-elected, all Speakers died in office until Sir Charles Kerruish
in 1990. Since then none have died in office.
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....
, the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
legislature. The Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
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 authoritative interpretation of its standing orders. He sets the business of the House and authorises the order of business of the House for each sitting.
The Speaker is an impartial member of the House and only votes on motions where the division of votes is exactly half in favour and half against. He then votes in favour of the status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
.
All Speakers from 1750 to 1898 were either members of the Moore or Taubman families or married into them. Until 1866 the Keys was non-elected.
The present Speaker is Steve Rodan
Steve Rodan
The Honourable Stephen Charles "Steve" Rodan, SHK, BSc, MRPharmS is a Scottish politician, who is the current Speaker of the House of Keys and former Minister of the Isle of Man Government and Member of the House of Keys for the constituency of Garff...
, who was elected in 2006.
Before the House was elected in 1867 the role of Speaker was assumed to be for life. Thus when Edward Moore Gawne
Edward Moore Gawne
Edward Moore Gawne was Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man.Mr Gawne served as a Member of the House of Keys from 1829, at the relatively young age of 26, and became Speaker in 1854 following the death of his uncle...
resigned in 1867 he was the first Speaker not to die in office. Since then, although it is possible to resign the Office or even now fail to be re-elected, all Speakers died in office until Sir Charles Kerruish
Charles Kerruish
Sir Henry "Charles" Kerruish OBE LLD CP MLC was perhaps the most well known Manx politician. He was the Speaker of the House of Keys from 1962 to 1990, making him the longest serving Speaker in any Parliament in the Commonwealth, and first President of Tynwald...
in 1990. Since then none have died in office.
Chairmen of the House of the Keys
- MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Richard Stevenson, c.1649–c.1660 - Edward ChristianEdward ChristianEdward Christian was an English judge and law professor, and the older brother of Fletcher Christian, leader of the Mutiny on the Bounty....
, c.1660–1673 - Charles Christian, 1673–1697
- Captain Thomas Stevenson, 1697–1704
- Captain John Stevenson, 1704–1738
- Captain Thomas Heywood, 1738–1758
Speakers of the House of Keys
- SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
George MooreGeorge Moore (SHK)Sir George Moore was the Speaker of the House of Keys and their leader in the efforts to obtain better terms for Manx commerce after the Act of Revestment. It was largely due to his efforts that the Island was not annexed to Cumberland as previously planned...
, 1758–1780 - John Taubman, 1780–1799
- MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
John Taubman, 1799–1823 - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Mark Wilkes FRS, 1823–1831 - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Alexander John Goldie, 1831–1844 - ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
John Taubman Goldie-Taubman, 1844–1847 - John Moore, 1847–1854
- Edward Moore GawneEdward Moore GawneEdward Moore Gawne was Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man.Mr Gawne served as a Member of the House of Keys from 1829, at the relatively young age of 26, and became Speaker in 1854 following the death of his uncle...
, 1854–1867 - SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Senhouse Goldie-Taubman JPJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, 1867–1898 - Arthur William MooreArthur William MooreArthur William Moore CVO SHK JP MA was a Manx antiquarian, historian, linguist, folklorist, and former Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man. He published under the sobriquet A. W. Moore.-Life:...
CVORoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
JPJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, 1898–1909 - Dalrymple MaitlandDalrymple MaitlandDalrymple Maitland, JP was an Isle of Man business leader and public official who served as a member of the House of Keys starting in 1890, and as Speaker of the House of Keys from 1909 to 1919....
, 1909–1919 - John Robert Kerruish, 1919
- SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
George Frederick ClucasGeorge Frederick ClucasSir George Frederick Clucas, CBE, JP was a Manx politician and Speaker of the House of Keys from 1919 to 1937....
CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
JPJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, 1919–1937 - SirSirSir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Joseph Davidson QualtroughJoseph Davidson QualtroughSir Joseph Davidson Qualtrough JP SHK was one of the most renowned Manx politicians ever and Speaker of the House of Keys from 1937 to 1960....
CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 1937–1960 - Henry Knowles Corlett OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CPCaptain of the ParishThe Captain of the Parish is an official in each parish in the Isle of Man—formerly the title was Captain of the Parish Militia, but it is now only a titular honour...
, 1960–1962 - Sir Henry Charles KerruishCharles KerruishSir Henry "Charles" Kerruish OBE LLD CP MLC was perhaps the most well known Manx politician. He was the Speaker of the House of Keys from 1962 to 1990, making him the longest serving Speaker in any Parliament in the Commonwealth, and first President of Tynwald...
OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CPCaptain of the ParishThe Captain of the Parish is an official in each parish in the Isle of Man—formerly the title was Captain of the Parish Militia, but it is now only a titular honour...
, 1962–1990 - George Victor Harris KnealeVictor KnealeGeorge Victor Harris Kneale CBE MA SHK, was a Manx politician and former Speaker of the House of Keys and Education Minister....
CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
M.A.Master of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, 1990–1991 - James Crookall CainJames Cain (Manx)The Honourable James Crookall Cain FCA is a Manx politician, who was the Speaker of the House of Keys and former Minister of the Isle of Man Government and Member of the House of Keys for the constituency of Douglas West....
FCAFCAFCA may refer to:In economics:* False Claims Act, United States federal law* Fellow of Chartered Accountants, senior member of the largest Canadian accountancy body for chartered accountants and auditors....
, 1991–1996 - Noel Quayle CringleNoel CringleThe Honorable Noel Quayle Cringle OBE MLC is a former President of Tynwald in the Isle of Man.Cringle was educated at Castle Rushen High School and became a farmer and later auctioneer . Married to Mary, two sons. Elected to Arbory Parish Commissioners in 1964 serving through until 1974...
, 1996–2000 - John David Qualtrough CannanDavid CannanJohn David Qualtrough Cannan MHK is currently the Member of the House of Keys for Michael and Chairman of the Isle of Man Water Authority. He is the son of former Chaplain of the House of Keys, Rev Canon Charles Cannan. He was educated at King William's College and was a businessman in the tea and...
, 2000–2001 - Tony Brown, 2001–2006
- Steve RodanSteve RodanThe Honourable Stephen Charles "Steve" Rodan, SHK, BSc, MRPharmS is a Scottish politician, who is the current Speaker of the House of Keys and former Minister of the Isle of Man Government and Member of the House of Keys for the constituency of Garff...
, 2006–present
Recent Elections
| Year | Candidates & Votes | Elected |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 |
|
Steve Rodan Steve Rodan The Honourable Stephen Charles "Steve" Rodan, SHK, BSc, MRPharmS is a Scottish politician, who is the current Speaker of the House of Keys and former Minister of the Isle of Man Government and Member of the House of Keys for the constituency of Garff... |
| 2006 |
|
Tony Brown James Anthony Brown James Anthony "Tony" Brown is a Manx politician, former businessman and electrician, Who was the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, from December 2006, until October 2011, When he stepped down from office following his decision to retire.... |
| 2001 |
|
Tony Brown James Anthony Brown James Anthony "Tony" Brown is a Manx politician, former businessman and electrician, Who was the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, from December 2006, until October 2011, When he stepped down from office following his decision to retire.... |