As political life in the UK and across Europe embraces the concept of gender equality political life in the Isle of Man has no qualms about the relative inequality between men and women in political life on the Isle of Man.
The Isle of Man led the field in terms of Women’s suffrage (5th November 1880) and yet this has not been reflected in terms of the number of women who have come forward and been elected to the Keys over the years.
One means to rectify the current imbalance would be to ensure that the unelected upper chamber of Tynwald (the Legislative Council) injected a degree of gender equality into Manx political life.
However, when nominations for four seats closed recently of seven candidates to contest four seats none were women.
It seems inconceivable that the 24 members of the House of Keys able to nominate for the four vacant seats could not identify at least one (if not more) women candidates who were able and willing to contest these vacancies.
As International Women’s Day celebrates its 100th anniversary this week it seems that in terms of Manx political life (despite a good start well over a century and a quarter ago) the Island still firmly remains `the Isle of Man’.