Members & Officers
Members of Tynwald
The High Court of Tynwald has thirty five members comprised of all of the members of the House of Keys and the Legislative Council.
The President of Tynwald, elected from the Members of Tynwald, presides over Tynwald.
The Legislative Council has eleven members. In addition to The President, who presides, there are eight members elected by the House of Keys who serve alongside the Bishop of Sodor and Mann, all of whom may vote, and the Attorney General who may not vote.
The House of Keys has twenty four members elected by the citizens of the Isle of Man every five years. The Presiding Officer is the Speaker of the House of Keys who is elected from the Members after each general election.
The Members of the Legislature are supported in their work by the staff of the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office whose offices in Legislative Buildings on Finch Road in Douglas adjoin the Chambers. The Clerk of Tynwald and staff of the office support and promote the work of Tynwald and assist its Members to carry out their public functions as Members of Tynwald.
Presiding Officers
Presiding Officers
Tynwald Court
The President of Tynwald is the presiding officer at the sittings of Tynwald in Douglas and is elected by the members of Tynwald from amongst their number.
The presiding officer remains impartial but has, in the case of a tied vote in the Legislative Council on a division, a casting vote. The President authorises the Order Paper for sittings, is responsible for controlling the procedure of Tynwald Court and for the authoritative interpretation of its Standing Orders.
The current President is The Hon Juan Paul Watterson BA FCA CMgr FCMI MLC, who was elected in July 2026.
The first elected President, Sir Charles Kerruish OBE LLD CP, was elected in 1990 and held office until his retirement in 2000. Noel Quayle Cringle OBE was Tynwald's second President from 2000 until his retirement in 2011. Clare Margaret Christian OBE BSc was elected President in July 2011 and held office for five years until her retirement in 2016. Stephen Charles Rodan OBE BSc(Hons) MRPharmS was elected President in July 2016 and held office for five years until his retirement in 2021. The Hon Laurence David Skelly OBE MLC, was elected in July 2021 and retired in 2026.
The Deputy President of Tynwald exercises most of the functions of the President of Tynwald when he or she is absent or unable to act. The current Deputy President is the Speaker of the House of Keys.
House of Keys
The Speaker is the principal officer of the House. The Speaker is elected by the Members from amongst their number at the first sitting of the House after a General Election. From earliest times the Speaker has been the spokesman of the House and the defender of its privileges, in particular in Tynwald Court. As the presiding officer of the House he remains impartial. He is responsible for controlling the procedure of the House and for authoritative interpretation of its Standing Orders. In the case of a tied vote on a division he has a casting vote.
The Speaker also has extensive powers and duties in respect of the business of the House and authorises the order of business of the House for each sitting.
The Speaker also has some other rather unusual rights. In addition to his casting vote, he is entitled to vote as a member in divisions and usually does so, although, reflecting the impartiality of his Office, unlike the other Members present he may abstain. He is also entitled to participate in debate, but again in the interest of maintaining the impartiality of the Office of Speaker this right is rarely exercised.
The Deputy Speaker is elected by the members from amongst their number. He or she serves as the presiding officer in the absence of Mr Speaker. The current Deputy Speaker is Ann Corlett MHK who was elected on the 27th February 2024.
Legislative Council
The President of Tynwald is elected by and from Tynwald, serving for a period of five years. The President of Tynwald presides ex officio over the Legislative Council.
The President, as the presiding officer, usually remains impartial but in the case of a tied vote on a division does have a casting vote. The President is responsible for controlling the procedure of the Council and for the authoritative interpretation of its Standing Orders. He or she also has the duty of nominating the Member of the Council to be responsible for promoting each Bill which is to come before Council.