Sacked minister dubs dismissal decision 'underhand'

Julie Edge has been replaced by Daphne Caine as education minister

The former education minister who was sacked this week has called the chief minister's decision to dismiss her "underhand".

Julie Edge was removed from her position after February's Tynwald sitting on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said he wanted to introduce a "fresh perspective" to the council and replaced her with Garff MHK Daphne Caine.

Onchan member, Ms Edge, said she "wasn't surprised" as she had been "quite vocal recently with regards to whistleblowing".

The BBC has contacted the government for a response.

A recent review into the management of a whistleblower's tribunal found the Manx government made errors but "acted in good faith".

That followed a further independent report into government's handling of the Covid pandemic.

'On the backbenches'

Ms Edge said: "I've always had my pre-declared position on whistleblowing".

She said she recently sought "reconfirmation" of that position, which she received on Friday.

Days later she was removed from the post leading the education, sport and culture department, which she held for two and a half years.

She said the timing made the decision feel "particularly... underhanded".

The spotlight was on Ms Edge recently when she recommended the closure of a community swimming pool in the south of the island.

There were calls for her to resign amid a row between politicians and local authorities.

However the facility was given a year-long reprieve when the government accepted a plan put forward to save it.

Ms Edge said the chief minister assured her these events had no bearing on his decision to remove her from the post.

However, she said she had not been privy to some of the correspondence on the issue.

Looking back at her tenure leading the department, she said she was "pleased" by what she had "done and what I've contributed".

She said she had been able to tackle issues with teachers' pay and "ensure they have a good level of pay and recruitment and retention".

Ms Edge said she was now "looking forward to being on the backbenches and supporting government policy where I can".