People skills of retiring veteran MHK praised

One of the longest-serving members of the Manx parliament has announced his retirement from politics.

Tim Crookall has confirmed he will not be seeking re-election at the House of Keys general election in September.

The Glenfaba and Peel MHK has served spells in both the Keys and the Legislative Council, and held several ministerial positions, in a career that spanned two decades.

Paying tribute to his public service, newly elected President of Tynwald Juan Watterson, who first entered the House Keys alongside Crookall, said his strength in politics had been his people skills.

First elected as MHK for Peel in 2006, Crookall held ministerial posts in the Community, Culture and Leisure and Education and Children departments between 2011 and 2016.

After a term in the Legislative Council, which began in June 2015, he stepped back from politics briefly before successfully contesting a seat in Glenfaba and Peel in 2021.

His time in the current administration saw him hold several ministerial roles - including being at the helm of the infrastructure department on three occasions - and resign from the Council of Ministers twice.

Posting on social media, Crookall said it had been "the greatest honour and privilege to have represented the constituency" and serve the people of the island.

Reflecting on his political career he said: "There is very little that can prepare you for the job and it's certainly true that there is never a dull moment."

However, he said, "time has now come for me to move on and stand down" in order to dedicate more time to his family.

Speaking at the end of the final Tynwald sitting of the current administration, Watterson said of him: "He has a great ability to work with people, to build relations and bridges, to solve problems and remove barriers to progress.

"In a time when relationships matter more than ever and corporate memory is at a premium, I know that this court will miss those qualities."

Watterson also thanked the four other MHKs who had previously confirmed they would not be seeking re-election.

They are Garff MHK Andrew Smith, Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover, Middle MHK Stu Peters – who were all elected for the first time in 2021 – and Ramsey MHK Alex Allinson, who has been a member since 2016.

Those retirements, along with former Rushen MHK Watterson's elevation to the Legislative Council on Tuesday, meant there will be at least six new faces in the House of Keys following September's poll.

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