Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Tim Glover has tabled a motion of no-confidence against Chief Minister Alfred Cannan.
It will take place during next week's sitting of the House of Keys.
Lewis Foster caught up with Tim to find out why.
Manx Newscast
Manx Newscast: MHK tables motion of no confidence in Chief Minister
Well, I said in an interview with Mangsradia last week, I felt the time was right, and I think I used the phrase, "We need to lance the boil." Laurie Hooper, I heard on Sunday, made reference that he believes there should be a vote of no confidence. There have been lots of chat, and there are a number of backbenchers who are unhappy. And as I said last week, we've got five ex-ministers on the backbenchers. The time is now. We've only got two years to go, so if a change is going to be made, it needs to be made now. And you need 13 votes, Tim. Are you confident you'll have that? No, I'm not. There's a lot of discussion still taking place, but I think we need to address the issue in whichever way it comes out, move forward. As I said in the email, which has been leaked to you very quickly, it seems. I did say that I could have used standing orders to bring it tomorrow, but I didn't feel that was right because there are certainly a couple of ministers I'm aware that are away and have leave of absence. And I think we need to have the whole house there to do it fairly and properly. And that's the way I'm doing it does give members now the full time to prepare ahead of the sitting, to make their points and what their worries might be as well. And it's just a better way of doing it. I suppose a week as well gives you extra time to lobby support for the vote as well, Tim. Is that any play in it? It does. And I notice the chief minister in his interview with you this morning said he'd been talking to Tim will colleagues about matters. I'm sure this was one of them. I can say I didn't get a phone call from him, but that perhaps isn't a surprise. But well, maybe he should have done. Now, when we're talking about no confidence, Tim, is it the MHKs you think that have no confidence in the chief minister right now? Or is it the public or is it both? There are MHKs that certainly have lost confidence, but it is also to address widespread discontent out in the public. And the points I've made before is we are representatives of the people. And if the people are aren't happy, well, we need to represent those people. And whenever there's a talk of no confidence in the chief minister, the question has to be asked, who do you think would be a worthy replacement for Alfred Cannon? That's the big fault in this procedure at the moment, because of course you just do not know who will come forward. And that's something I think at another date we need to address. But at the moment, we're tied with what we have and the procedures that we have. But I think a wider look at the whole system needs to follow as well. Well, you've put this motion forward, Tim. Could you pluck a name out, someone you'd like to see in the top seat? No, I'm going to wait and see what happens next Tuesday. You couldn't be tempted to put your own name, perhaps? I won't be putting my own name forward. That's for definite. Not at this junction, though. That would be three years in. I don't think you're quite qualified to be a chief minister, but it need to be one of the more senior figures in there. That's as far as I'm going to go on that. Okay, Tim. And since you have pushed this forward, have you heard anything from other members from the chief minister himself, perhaps? I've not heard from the chief minister. I have heard from other members. And indeed, I've had quite a considerable amount of response from the public as well. How do you expect it? Just one more time. How do you expect this vote to go? And how do you think, what do you think we'll be playing on MHKs and ministers' minds over the next week? I think there is dissatisfaction, but I think there is also, among some of the backbenchers who are dissatisfied, a worry as to who this might let in, particularly Dr. Allenson, who is the other candidate, of course, who stood when we had the original election for the chief minister. So there are concerns about this coming through, but I would appeal to my fellow members. Let's have an honest and frank debate about the current situation, and then we move forward, whichever way the vote goes. And the fact that emotion has been put forward will, of course, give the chief minister pause for thought. What do you think he should take from this, even if the vote goes his way and no confidence doesn't go through? What do you think he should take from this whole affair? I obviously have policy and direction of travel issues with the way that we're going, but I also have not been happy with the style of leadership at times. I would appeal that if he does win the vote, that he really does engage with more than just the council and ministers, and bring everyone along. I said last week that, for me, leadership is bringing people with you, and I haven't seen that so far. And what are the main policy points from the chief minister that you're unhappy with now? What would you change? I've said for three years that I firmly believe that we need to deal with what we have now and the issues we have now. And I think if we address those, then the population growth will happen organically in itself, but we can't at the moment provide the services that we are wanting to, to the population that we have. We didn't have in the manifesto's population growth. We didn't have increasing income tax as well, and that is taking spend out of the economy. Those are just a few areas, but this is more about Mr Alfred Cannon's leadership. Thank you for making it to the end of the Manx Radio Newscast. 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