Justice Committee backs Manx good government

The UK’s justice committee says it’s happy with the way the Manx Government dealt with criminal allegations made against the Island’s Attorney General.

The Committee carried out an inquiry into the constitutional relationship between the UK and the Crown Dependencies, including the Isle of Man, in 2010.

Its report and recommendations have now been considered by the UK government, which has issued its response to the findings.

In general, the committee says the Isle of Man is well-governed – although it does acknowledge some people have raised concerns about how fair the Island’s legal system is.

In its report, published today, the committee says some people had raised the possibility of conflicts of interest in small jurisdictions such as the Island.

But it said it had found nothing to suggest the situation was serious enough to merit the UK stepping in to ensure good government.

It pointed to the case of the Island’s Attorney General Stephen Harding, who is facing a retrial on charges of perjury and committing acts against public justice.

The committee said Lord McNally, Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice, was happy appropriate steps were taken by the Manx government after the allegations were made.