Newest members of Tynwald's upper branch sworn in

The new members were selected in a ballot by MHKs on 4 March

The Isle of Man's four newest politicians have been sworn in to take on scrutiny roles in Tynwald.

Businessman Gary Clueit, social worker Kirstie Morphet and former finance worker Peter Reid will serve on the Legislative Council, the upper branch of the Manx parliament, until 2030.

They took their seats for the first time after a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, alongside Rob Mercer who successfully secured re-election to the council in early March.

Mercer said he was delighted to return and was "keen to get back to work".

Much of the work of Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) involves scrutinising new legislation.

They also take part in the monthly sittings of Tynwald and can also serve on government departments and scrutiny committees.

Gary Clueit founded and ran businesses in the property and architecture industries

Clueit said for the first six months of his term he would be in "learning mode" to understand the workings of the "truly historic institution".

He said he believed there was an "awful lot of work that needs to be done" as the challenges facing the island were "not insignificant", including issues with housing.

The businessman was formerly a lay member of the government's Housing and Communities Board, which he said gave him "a voice in the room".

Clueit said he was now looking forward to "having a voice in parliament".

Kirstie Morphet has a post graduate qualification in mental health law

Morphet said she was "overwhelmed but excited to start seeing where I can be of most use".

The new MLC has a background in social work and she said was interested in "how adult social care was funded and how people receive that care".

"Homelessness is also a big issue for me. As a nation I don't think we should have no provision", she added.

The Isle of Man's only overnight shelter for homeless people closed in 2022.

Rob Mercer has begun his second term as a Member of the Legislative Council

Mercer, who was was first elected to the council in 2020, said he was "just as nervous" during Tuesday's ceremony as he was five years ago.

Reflecting on his first term, he said he was proud to have been a member of Tynwald throughout the Covid pandemic, which had been a "very, very difficult time".

The former IT professional said he had really enjoyed the role of "scrutiny and oversight".

Peter Reid previously stood for election to the Legislative Council in 2020.

Reid, who stood unsuccessfully for the Legislative Council in 2020, said he was "really looking forward to getting stuck in to the role".

He said hoped to "try and make a small difference" using his expertise from a career in finance, and wanted to focus on moving forward insolvency legislation.

"Overall I want to listen and understand... people have put a lot of faith in me so I want to do good job for them", he added.