CHIEF Minister Allan Bell tonight (Thursday) announced that Graham Cregeen is joining the Council of Ministers.
He will take the role of minister at the Department of Community, Culture and Leisure.
Tim Crookall leaves that role to take over at Education and Children.
The vacancy in the Council of Ministers came about when Peter Karran, one of Onchan’s MHKs and leader of the Liberal Vannin party, was sacked from the role.
Karran voted against his ministerial colleagues on the vexed issue of the island’s film industry and a CoMin policy to enter a £49m deal with Pinewood Shepperton Studios.
Bell maintained that, by breaking ranks with his CoMin colleagues, Mr Karran had broken the rules of collective responsibility. Ministers are meant to vote together after they agree a policy.
Cregeen is the MHK for Malew and Santon.