Isle of Man First Manifesto 2025

Putting Manx Residents First

At Isle of Man First, we believe in a simple truth: – when the people of the Isle of Man thrive, the Island thrives.

We are proud of our heritage, optimistic about our future, and ready to lead the Isle of Man with bold, common sense ideas that return control, prosperity, and opportunity to our citizens. Our commitment is to place the Isle of Man and its people at the heart of every decision. This manifesto sets out our plan for a better, fairer, more dynamic Island.

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1. World Class Healthcare, Because Our People Deserve the Best

A strong, responsive, and compassionate healthcare system is the backbone of a successful society. Our frontline NHS staff are the heroes of our island, yet many are underpaid, under-resourced, and unsupported by outdated systems.

Our Commitments:

• Substantially increase pay for frontline healthcare workers to attract and retain world class professionals.
• Introduce a flat, accountable management structure to support clinicians, reduce bureaucracy, and improve patient outcomes.
• Invest in digital first systems for efficient appointments, records, prescriptions, and patient tracking.
• Focus on prevention, early diagnosis, and faster access to care.
• Establish clear performance metrics and reduce waiting times for treatment.

We will ensure that the healthcare system is built around patients and led by empowered professionals, not bogged down by red tape.

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2. Education for the Future, Inspiring Excellence and Ambition

Our children deserve an education system that sparks ambition, curiosity, and the drive to succeed. We will build an education system where teachers are respected, students are inspired, and excellence is expected.

Our Commitments:

• Create a culture where education is aspirational and excellence is rewarded.
• Increase funding for schools to improve classroom environments and access to digital tools.
• Invest in teacher development and classroom support to reduce workload and improve outcomes.
• Enhance vocational and technical pathways for students with a strong focus on future ready skills.

Upgrading UCM:

We aim to transform the University College Isle of Man (UCM) into a fully accredited centre with global recognition in our first term in office. Our vision includes:-

• A new residential student campus to attract both local and international students.
• Partnerships with global universities and research centres.
• Programmes in areas like technology, engineering, finance, sustainable energy, and entrepreneurship.
• A Manx Research Fund to sponsor homegrown academic research with real world impact.

The Isle of Man should be known not only for finance and motorbikes, but also for innovation, academia, and opportunity.

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3. Affordable Housing, From Renter to Owner

Too many islanders are trapped in a cycle of renting, unable to get on the property ladder.

Our Commitments:

• Launch a Tenant Purchase Scheme allowing long term tenants to buy their public sector homes at preferential rates.
• Ring fence proceeds from these sales to build more affordable housing stock in key areas of need.
• Encourage local ownership through mortgage support for first time buyers.
• Ensure new developments prioritise affordability, sustainability, and community integration.

Everyone deserves the dignity and stability of owning their home. We will make that dream a reality for more Manx individuals.

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4. Sovereign Wealth Fund, A Legacy for Future Generations

We cannot rely on borrowing or unpredictable revenues to fund the Island’s future. It’s time we invested strategically, the way successful nations like Norway have done.

Our Commitments:

• Establish an Isle of Man Sovereign Wealth Fund, initially capitalised through asset rationalisation and natural resource revenue (e.g., gas).
• Use this fund to invest in:
• Long term infrastructure projects.
• Energy security.
• Affordable housing.
• Healthcare and education innovation.
• Keep the fund politically neutral with independent, expert oversight.
• Use returns to reduce the tax burden on working families and lift more islanders out of poverty.

This is not just about saving money, it’s about creating wealth, resilience, and opportunity for the generations to come.

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5. Fair, Ambitious Tax Reform

We need a tax system that is progressive, fair, and encourages prosperity. It’s time to reward work and reduce pressure on the average Manx household.

Our Commitments:

• Raise the personal allowance to £20,000 for everyone in our first 100 days, an immediate boost for working people.
• Protect and preserve the 0/10% corporate tax structure, a cornerstone of our economic success.
• Introduce a progressive adjustment for those earning £150,000+ to ensure the tax base remains sustainable.
• Over the next 5 years, our goal is to raise the tax and NI free threshold to £42,000, while ensuring high earners contribute more.

This will reduce in work poverty, stimulate local spending, and reward ambition while protecting the Island’s competitiveness.

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6. Global Business Hub, Powering Our Economic Future

Despite its small size, the Isle of Man has long punched above its weight as a global hub for finance, eGaming, and technology.

But in recent years, regulation has become slow, bureaucratic, and unwelcoming to new business.

Our Commitments:

• Create a “One Stop” Business Gateway to assist companies with fast, efficient onboarding into the Island.
• Leverage our agility to become the most tech forward, transparent and compliant jurisdiction in the world.
• Promote the Isle of Man as a destination for:
• Fintech
• Digital media
• Green innovation
• Remote working hubs
• Guarantee 0/10% tax certainty for companies and reaffirm the Island as a low tax, high standards jurisdiction.
• Simplify compliance processes using smart digital and blockchain secure systems for corporate governance.

A thriving economy means more jobs, more innovation, and more investment into our schools, hospitals, and homes.

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7. Technology First Governance, The Estonia Model

The Isle of Man must embrace a digital first approach to government services. Estonia did it 20 years ago. We’re already behind, let’s leap ahead. Under no circumstances does this involve a Manx Identity Card!

Our Commitments:

• Introduce a “Tell Us Once” system, where a single interaction updates all relevant public bodies (e.g., change of address, marriage, etc.).
• Automate common services like vehicle licensing, utility connections, and benefit processing.
• Reduce physical paperwork, waiting times, and wasted man hours in government departments.

Technology should serve people, not confuse them. Our goal is a government that works as fast and simply as your smartphone.

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8. Farming & Food Security, A Local Renaissance

COVID and shipping disruptions taught us something important: food security matters.

It’s time to bring agriculture and local food production back to the centre of Manx life.

Our Commitments:

• Launch a Food Security Strategy to make the Isle of Man 60%+ self-sufficient in key food categories.
• Incentivise young farmers, new entrants, and sustainable practices.
• Support local producers through guaranteed procurement into schools, hospitals, and government contracts.
• Promote Isle of Man produce through a strong local branding campaign.
• Expand the Manx Farming Innovation Fund to support climate smart farming and vertical agriculture.

If the ferry doesn’t run, our people should still eat well, that’s real resilience.

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9. Energy Realism, Security Before Ideology

The global race to net zero should not come at the cost of local reliability and affordability. We need an energy policy based on facts, not fads.

Our Commitments:

• Explore and responsibly develop natural gas and any oil resources, within environmental safeguards.
• Use resource revenue to fund renewable energy infrastructure, modelled on Norway’s successful transition.
• Assess the benefits of a Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) to supply clean, consistent, and cheap energy to the Island.
• Continue smart investments in energy from waste and solar without compromising base load reliability.

We support pragmatic energy sovereignty, not ideological targets that make people poorer.

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10. Voluntary Taxation & the Super Rich

The Isle of Man is uniquely positioned to attract global high net worth individuals, but we need to be smart, competitive, and welcoming.

Our Commitments:

• Reinstate the 5 year Tax Cap at its original level of £100,000 per year (or £500,000 total), to incentivise long term residency.
• Market the Isle of Man as a safe, stable, low tax home for international entrepreneurs and retirees.
• Ensure tax contributions from this group are ring fenced for high impact community investment in health, education, and innovation.

This is not about creating privilege, it’s about voluntary contribution from those who want to give back in exchange for the Manx lifestyle.

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11. Streamlined Government, Doing More With Less

It’s no secret:- many say government is bloated. It takes too long to do too little. We will bring in fresh thinking and private sector efficiency.

Our Commitments:

• Conduct a full efficiency audit of all government departments.
• Flatten middle management layers and digitise routine services.
• Introduce performance based accountability for all public departments.
• Encourage cross departmental collaboration using centralised planning software and data tools.
• Allow departments to retain and reinvest savings they generate through efficiencies.

By reducing waste, we can cut the cost of government while improving services and reducing tax pressure on working families.

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Conclusion, Our First Term Goals

Here’s what we aim to achieve in our first five years:

• Raise tax and NI free income to £20,000, with a pathway to £50,000.
• Launch the Isle of Man Sovereign Wealth Fund.
• Transform UCM into a fully fledged centre of excellence.
• Build a student campus and attract international talent.
• Implement a national “Tell Us Once” digital system.
• Make the Isle of Man the easiest place in the world to start and run a business.
• Transition the energy grid using gas revenue and other options to drive affordable, secure power.
• Reignite local agriculture and food security.
• Reduce inefficiency of government.
• Return ownership of homes to local people.
• Ensure frontline health workers are the best paid on the Island.

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Isle of Man First, A New Beginning

We’re not politicians. We’re people with real world experience and a love for the Island. We believe that now is the time to choose bold ideas over stale bureaucracy.

It’s time to put the Isle of Man First.

Join us.