Isle of Man House of Keys Election 2026

Joney Faragher

Candidate for Douglas East

Devon Watson

Candidate for Douglas Central

Sarah Maltby

Candidate for Douglas South

Peter Washington

Candidate for Douglas North

Joney Faragher

Candidate for Douglas East

Check back soon for Joney's full manifesto.

Sarah Maltby

Candidate for Douglas South

Check back soon for Sarah's full manifesto.

Peter Washington

Candidate for Douglas North

About me:

I have lived on the island with my family for 26 years. Before moving over I worked for 21 years as a paramedic in the UK, and once here I worked as a Day Care Support Officer, helping adults with physical and learning difficulties. Throughout my working life I have been a trade union activist, in addition I am the Secretary of the Manx Labour Party.

I volunteered for over 20 years at Douglas RNLI, first as mechanic and then as Local Area Manager. I also helped present a Petition of Doleance to Tynwald, calling for improvements to support children with Dyslexia, a cause important to me, and I am proud to say that campaign resulted in a select committee being established, with 11 of its 12 recommendations being adopted.

I have worked hard over the past five years as a councillor for Douglas North to represent local residents. I am currently Chair of the Housing Committee, having lived in social housing for much of my time on the island it is important to me that everyone has access to accommodation that is safe, secure and feels like their home.

Housing Crisis:

The belief that if you work hard enough you will one day own your home is no longer achievable. In 2024 the average house price on the Island was approximately £350,000, this is simply unattainable to many young, working families. This is unsustainable, and will require Tynwald taking an active interest to get the island out of this crisis. Repeated governments have failed to introduce any workable first time buyers scheme suited for the island. I believe an increase in social housing will alleviate this issue, as it will allow people to rent affordably, and therefore save towards a deposit.

Tenants’ Rights:

All tenants should have long-term tenancy agreements, in line with the rest of the UK. All rented accommodation should have minimum standards which are enforceable by Tynwald. The lack of social housing, combined with unattainable house prices channelling people into rentals, is distorting the private rental market and leading to higher private rents. This financially affects young adults the most, as they disproportionately rent in the private sector. Too many young couples are trapped in a situation where childcare is too expensive but both parents are forced to work full time in order to pay the rent and face the higher cost of living. This is a factor contributing to the declining birth rate and net loss migration of young people in recent years.

Social housing tenancies are currently working against the very people they are supposed to help. Evicting tenants who, upon receiving a promotion or getting a better paid job, earn above the threshold creates a revolving door of poverty. Social housing tenants believe they are paying for a service, to turn their tenancies into a means tested benefit system is not fair on anyone.

Education:

The island has a history of lack of inclusion for neurodiverse children in the education system. All children should have equal opportunities to reach their full potential. If this means more resources allocated to education, this is a price worth paying for the Island’s future, in my opinion. This is a common theme amongst many other prospective MHKs standing in this election, and something that a new administration can work on together, to the benefit of our Island.

Health:

Social healthcare needs sorting out. Issues such as bed blocking are causing problems to direct healthcare services and then creating backlogs, all of which increases the pressure on our already struggling system. We as a society need to address having housing stock that is accessible and suitable for all our people, whatever stage of their lifecycle, and no matter the disabilities they may have.

It is increasingly common now to hear, week after week, of someone suffering from a mental health crisis, with no access to services they require. This is a double fold issue over here, as being on an island feelings of isolation and loneliness are more commonplace, and the services required to support those needing help are more limited. The police are more and more having to act as frontline mental health caregivers, which is not sustainable for their job of policing the Island or getting those who need it most the help and support structure they need.

Why Me:

People reading this might think I’m a one issue candidate, this is not the case. The issues facing our Island are both complicated and interconnected, the theme of housing runs throughout my manifesto because I believe it is one of the biggest challenges currently facing our island. By tackling our housing crisis a lot of other issues will be to some extent sorted. Taking someone out of sub-standard accommodation, where they worry about high rents or their short-term tenancy, and putting them in secure and affordable homes puts them on the right track to getting better mental or physical help. It could also give them a better space to focus on their education, or the ability to save up for a house.

If elected to the House of Keys this September I will first and foremost be your representative for Douglas North. I will ensure that your voice is heard in Tynwald, just as I have spent the past five years ensuring it is heard in Douglas Council. I will also use all my experience in the fields of health and social care, voluntary and community work, and as a councillor to ensure this administration works for the benefit of our Island community

PDF Link to Peter's Manifesto

Should you wish to contact Peter with any queries, please use the form below:

Devon Watson

Candidate for Douglas Central

Check back soon for Devon's full manifesto.