Glenfaba and Peel MHK expects Tynwald censure

Kate Lord-Brennan says it's after posts about telegraph poles

Glenfaba and Peel MHK Kate Lord-Brennan says she expects to be subject to a Tynwald censure over social media posts. 

The MHK says a committee had recommended the censure after posts she made regarding a planning appeal for telegraph poles in the west of the Island. 

In a post on Facebook, Ms Lord-Brennan criticised Lawrie Hooper after he granted a planning appeal to install telegraph poles in Peel for the fibre rollout. 

She branded him in her post: 'Lawrie "Telecom" Hooper, MHK for Ramsey - antagonistic by nature, malevolent by action.'

The former cabinet office minister added: "I am not alone in the Island in thinking “What is wrong with this man?”"

Mr Hooper subsequently made a complaint about Ms Lord-Brennan to the Tynwald Standards and Privileges Committee, however she says the committee had already decided to investigate her regardless.

Ms Lord-Brennan said she has received the committee's report and its call for her to be censured - a move which she called 'an extreme reaction'.

She added: "The public at large should be concerned about what the committee's conclusion and approach means for freedom of expression and strong representation on this Island and fear of reprisal.

"We are heading towards censorship and cancel culture and already experiencing selective and subjective determination as to what is okay to say and what isn't and who is first or is motivated to complain."

Ms Lord-Brennan further called the timing of the committee's motion, which will have to go to this week's Tynwald, if it is to see the light of day before the General Election, to be a 'political hijack'. 

Manx Telecom later abandoned plans to install the telegraph poles.