Chief minister hopefuls quizzed by MHKs

Housing and the economy have emerged as central issues in the contest between Kirrie Jenkins and Chris Thomas to become the Isle of Man's next chief minister.

The two candidates offered different approaches at a hustings, with Jenkins calling for a new, more "collegiate" style of government and Thomas emphasising his experience and ability to deliver from the outset.

Jenkins said the chief minister should be the person who gets "the right people around the table", while Thomas said the island had voted for change and that politicians now needed to "turn it into action".

MHKs will vote for their preferred candidate in the House of Keys on Tuesday, 13 October.

Fifteen of the 24 MHKs that make up the House of Keys were newcomers in the island's general election on 24 September.

In a three-hour debate, Jenkins said the new House of Keys presented an opportunity for "a different way of working".

Thomas, however, pointed to his record in government, including his work in the Treasury and on the minimum wage formula, saying he could "work from day one".

Both candidates identified housing as a major economic and social challenge, but had different thoughts on tackling it.

Thomas said he wanted a clear national policy on affordable housing and referred to current targets to create 1,000 more affordable homes.

He said government needed to identify where homes were most needed, how much they would cost and who would build them.

He also proposed the introduction of a dedicated housing and planning policy minister.

Jenkins said that there was no single solution to the housing problem.

She said government needed to clarify what "affordable" meant.

She said issues around empty properties and holiday lets need addressing and said housing needed to be considered alongside the wider economy.

On retaining and attracting young people to the island, Jenkins said government should make it easier for people to start families and progress in their careers and housing, while Thomas backed an expansion of apprenticeships.

The candidates also set out different priorities for the island's finances.

Thomas said government faced a structural deficit and needed a clear pipeline of capital projects, with spending prioritised according to need. He argued decisions needed to be made more quickly and said the next administration should move at pace on its economic programme.

Jenkins said government needed to rely less on reserves and increase its income. She identified health spending as the biggest financial risk and called for an "honest conversation" about government priorities.

Both candidates said people needed help with the rising cost of living. Jenkins suggested reviewing National Insurance thresholds and said the administration needed to be "bold".

Connectivity and freight costs were also recurring themes. Jenkins said rising Steam Packet freight costs were being passed on to businesses and described the company as a potential "enabler for business".

Thomas said the government, which owns the Steam Packet, could use its ownership and the sea services agreement to push for changes.

In their closing statements, Thomas said his four election victories meant he had "already built trust", but rejected a simple division between experienced and new politicians.

"This is not about old versus new, it's about all of us blending together," he said.

Jenkins said the island had an opportunity to "do government differently".

She called for a government "built around people", with ambition "grounded in what we can afford".

"I see the chief minister as the conductor of the orchestra," she said. "Let's bring the best out of all of us."

The House of Keys will vote on the next chief minister on Tuesday, with a candidate requiring the support of 13 of the 24 MHKs.

Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.