THERE is still no agreement between the MHKs and MLCs about electoral reform.
A joint House of Keys and Legislative Council committee was set up in December last year to thrash out the constitutional principles raised by David Callister MLC’s private member’s bill.
Mr Callister’s Electoral Reform Bill calls for the island to be split into eight constituencies, each represented by three MHKs and one MLC, all directly elected.
But its chairman Brenda Cannell (Douglas East) told the House of Keys that the committee could not agree whether the proposed reforms would mean constitutional changes that might be detrimental to the island.
She said that while the majority of the committee felt it would not be detrimental to the island, there were two members who disagreed
‘Turkeys won’t vote for Christmas,’ she said.
While there was a disagreement about the constitutional implications, there was agreement that the bill should continue to its second reading.
David Anderson (Glenfaba) asked why it had taken so long to report back and whether committee in its weighty report had actually learned anything new.
Mr Callister’s bill received its first reading in the Legislative Council in June 2011.
The Keys this week voted unanimously to support the Electoral Reform Bill returning to LegCo for a second reading.
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