AN MHK was rebuked for unparliamentary language in another heated exchange in the House of Keys over the Pinewood deal.
Yet more questions about Pinewood Shepperton share purchase had been raised by Kate Beecroft (Lib Van, Douglas South), with party leader Peter Karran (Onchan) maintaining that people were ‘smelling something fishy about this whole affair’.
Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK insisted that all the information was in the public domain and said it would be interesting to know the names and qualifications of Liberal Vannin’s advisers.
Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK suggested that Treasury might welcome an approach ‘from the individual that the Liberal Vannin members represent so they can bottom these issues out once and for all’.
Mr Teare replied: ‘I would be delighted. That offer has been on the table for months and months, and I have been deafened by the silence in response.’
This prompted the outburst from Mr Karran who said: ‘Would the Minister not agree that many people outside this House actually appreciate the strong bone and the political balls in this House of the member for South Douglas.’
Speaker Steve Rodan reprimanded him: ‘If there any more outbursts and language of that sort, I shall suspend the sitting. Resume your seat.’
Mr Karran said the party’s researcher was Mrs Beecroft herself who asked the Treasury Minister: ‘Has he not heard of Google alerts? Because if he sets them he will find all the information there – it is readily available.’
Mr Teare replied: ‘I am delighted [she] mentioned the Google alerts and I am sure she will join me in congratulating Pinewood in the excellent results which they announced last week.’