The full text of the manifesto is below. Select a section to read it.
Page 1 — Cover
Dr Michelle Haywood. Rushen. House of Keys Election 2026.
Cover photograph: Dr Haywood pictured against a view across the bay towards Port Erin.
Page 2 — Failt erriu / welcome
I was honoured to be elected as one of Rushen’s representatives in the House of Keys in 2021. Since then, I have served as a Minister and as a backbench MHK, gaining a detailed understanding of how Government works and representing the Isle of Man through the British-Irish Council and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
My background as a research scientist and university lecturer has taught me to examine evidence, question assumptions and scrutinise detail. I bring that approach to legislation and Government policy, alongside a genuine appreciation of the hard work of those who deliver public services that we all rely on.
I believe in being honest, open and transparent, taking onboard different perspectives and treating people with empathy and respect. I want constituents to feel that their concerns are heard and that I am approachable and willing to help.
Government is not perfect, and there is always room for improvement. But meaningful change comes from understanding problems properly, listening to those affected, examining the evidence and developing sensible, practical solutions.
I am committed to constructive politics: challenging where necessary, supporting where appropriate, and always working to achieve better outcomes for Rushen and the Isle of Man. I believe in bringing people together around a shared sense of belonging, opportunity and responsibility, and I would be proud to continue representing Rushen in the House of Keys.
Lesh yeearreeyn share, Michelle
Page 3 — Housing
Housing is a huge issue for many people. Young adults struggle to afford somewhere to live, older people can’t downsize and those with additional access needs struggle in unsuitable properties. We know we need an additional 100 public sector houses every year for a decade and we need to get started. We need to meet housing needs with quality, low-energy use, adaptable properties.
What are the challenges?
- Empty buildings
- Poor quality rental properties
- Unmet demand for public sector housing
- Lack of adaptable housing
- Not enough financial support to get onto the housing ladder
What have I achieved so far?
- Established a Housing Agency
- Reinstated DOI Housing Conference
- Extended First Time Buyer Support
- Appointed a Housing Development Officer
- Delivered home energy efficiency schemes
What needs to happen now?
- Develop strategic reserve land
- Approve Local Authorities housing schemes
- Introduce Rent to Buy scheme
- Develop housing in town centres
- Landlord registration
- Development Land levy
- Invest Government funds to provide housing
- Amend Rates to be payable on empty buildings
- Prioritise housing for those in greatest need
Page 4 — Economy and finance
Our economy has had to withstand many external shocks due to international events, but it is a testament to the stability of our Island that we have managed to steer a path through these challenges. The decline of e-gaming, high inflation and the impact of AI on jobs in the finance sector will continue to put pressure on our economy. Public service employment has grown as Manx Care reaches safe staffing levels, but we need to ensure that every public sector job is justified and contributing to our quality of life.
What are the challenges?
- Decline in E-gaming sector
- Low unemployment and high job vacancies
- AI impact on jobs and a skills gap
- Low tax jurisdiction expecting high level of services
- Demographic challenges
- National Insurance Fund depletion
Chart: Isle of Man Government reserves position (unaudited)
A stacked area chart of average total reserves from 2015 to 2026, in billions of pounds. Total reserves sit a little under £1.5 billion in 2015 and rise to a little over £2 billion by 2026, with a peak around 2021 to 2022 followed by a dip and a subsequent recovery. The bands shown are the Reserve Fund, HEDF, Manx Currency, MUA, NIIA, PSEPR, Reserve and Sinking Fund.
What have I achieved so far?
- Delivered Domestic Events Fund in the Department for Enterprise
- Helped people on long-term sickness to return to work and training
- Secured increases to child benefits and maternity allowance
- Supported changes to the Tynwald budget process from 2027
- Brought the Department of Infrastructure in on budget for 2025 to 2026
Page 5 — Economy and finance, continued
What do I think it’s important to do now?
- Create a proportionate regulatory environment to support business development
- Expand training to leverage AI opportunities for business expansion
- Strengthen AI protection and regulation
- Work closely with the Institute of Directors, businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to identify and exploit new opportunities and legislate as needed
- Modernise insolvency laws to protect individuals and finance companies
- Streamline government services, increasing online services and data sharing
- Realise the commercial value of Data Asset Foundations
- Reduce bureaucracy for businesses, whilst maintaining quality standards
- Benchmark benefits to ensure financial support is properly targeted at those in need
- Implement the new Tynwald budget process to allow members more influence over Government spending
- Rates and Local Authority function reform
Chart: private sector jobs
A line chart of private sector jobs from 2015 to 2025. The figure rises from around 35,000 in 2015 to around 39,000 by 2024, with a marked dip around 2020 before recovering.
This page also shows the cover of the Report of the Select Committee of Tynwald on the Role of the Legislature in the Budget Process, 2025 to 2026, and promotional material for the Activate AI programme: free AI solution service, LearnAI in-person training, and LearnAI online training.
Page 6 — Infrastructure
What are the challenges?
- Low capital investment in infrastructure
- Connectivity by air and sea
- Keeping the Island moving
What have I achieved so far?
- Mobility scooters on buses
- Expanded bus network (8S)
- Completed business case for Port St Mary High Street
- Detailed Castle Rushen High School and sports centre plans
- Extra funding for footpaths
- Revised Sea Services Agreement
- Supported development of brownfield sites
- Tynwald agreed funding of Horse Trams
What steps will I support to drive progress?
- Review and streamline Government capital projects process
- Develop a pipeline of capital projects
- Invest in our heritage assets
- Deliver a new bus strategy with free travel for children
- Secure funding for Castle Rushen High School and start on the build
- Secure funding for Port St Mary High Street
- Continue to reform the Department of Infrastructure to improve governance and service delivery
- Sector agency boards established to drive strategic development
Page 7 — Energy
What are the challenges?
- A future decarbonised secure energy supply
- High cost of fossil fuels driving inflation
- Land use decisions are difficult
What have I achieved so far?
- Supported solar on the National Sports Centre and Sulby reservoir
- Pushed for the Earystane proposal to be examined through the planning system
- Supported the MIMA legislation to examine marine projects
- Supported schemes in thousands of Manx homes: insulation, low energy equipment, solar panels
Where does Government need to focus attention?
- Thoroughly examine energy generation proposals
- Carefully balance costs and benefits for each scheme
- Ensure we get the best outcome for our Island
- Continue to support a stable, secure, cost effective supply of energy
- Decarbonise our energy supply
- Support households to insulate, reduce energy usage and install low carbon heating
Page 8 — Health and social care
What are the challenges?
- High costs of healthcare impacting budgets
- High cost of care homes
- Funding of end of life care
- Tackling the harm from drugs
- Waiting lists and GP access
- Increasing demand from ageing population
What have I achieved so far?
- Improvements underway to Nicotine and Tobacco regulation
- Developed options for later life care
- Supported assisted dying legislation
- Helped develop Autism, Carers and Suicide strategies
- Challenged Manx Care mandate reporting metrics
- Contributed experienced perspective to Manx Care governance review
- Massive investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health
What needs to happen now?
- Review the working relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care
- Support Department of Health and Social Care commissioning
- Deliver later life care funding reform
- Support Manx Care to modernise working practices, improve safety and reduce waiting lists
- Stabilise Hospice funding
- Tackle the harms from drugs
- Expand primary care services, more local access to essential health care
- Greater investment in helping people stay healthier for longer
Page 9 — Environment
What are the challenges?
- Climate change driving extreme weather
- Changed rainfall patterns — flood and drought
- Threats to biodiversity
- Tree loss due to disease and climate change
- Enormous challenges to traditional agriculture
- Nationally important infrastructure developments
What have I achieved so far?
- Supported flood protection works
- Single use plastics ban
- Animal Welfare Act and codes of practice
- Flood risk analysis
- Energy efficiency support for homes
- Agreed lease of land to Manx Wildlife Trust for Ramsey Hairpin woodland
- Supported Areas of Special Scientific Interest to protect valuable wildlife habitats
What do I think needs to be done now?
- Help farmers to adjust to new environmental conditions, develop water management plans and meet future challenges
- Work towards the 30 by 30 target to protect precious ecosystems
- Biodiversity Net Gain and Nature Recovery to become statutory obligations
- Evolve planning and building control to support low energy use developments
- Deliver sewage treatment for Laxey
- Develop Fisheries Management to protect key species
Page 10 — Families
What are the challenges?
- Declining birth rate
- High costs of childcare
- Dated employment laws
- Access to suitable housing
- Cost of living hits families harder
What have I achieved so far?
- Progressed Child Benefit reforms, so all children get the same as the first child
- Increased Child Benefit thresholds so more families get more support
- Uplifts of Maternity Allowance
- Expansion of childcare support to two year olds
- Advocated for parental bereavement leave to include early pregnancy loss
What are the next steps?
- Secure funding for childcare support
- Develop milestone grants scheme, to fund school uniforms before primary and secondary school transitions
- Improve statutory maternity leave provision
- Create a ‘Forever Home’ package to support young people returning to the Island, with assistance with housing and tax breaks
Page 11 — Education
What are the challenges?
- High level of children with Special Educational Needs
- Falling school rolls in some areas
- Poor support for apprenticeships
- Retraining older people for new challenges
- Lack of common standards and policies across schools
What have I achieved so far?
- Supported changes to Student Awards to include distance learning
- Advocated for care leavers to receive additional mentoring
- Developed Castle Rushen High School plans to procurement level
- Protected the Southern Pool from closing
What needs to happen now?
- New Castle Rushen High School, and new pool, build to commence
- Act upon the review of school rolls report
- Establish clear Special Educational Needs code
- Ensure the Neurodiversity Strategy is embedded in schools — all schools should achieve Inclusion Quality awards
- National curriculum review to include workplace skills
- Introduce Citizenship studies
- Create a student loans scheme that supports tuition and maintenance costs
- Expand funding for apprenticeships
Page 12 — Contact details
Dr Michelle Haywood for Rushen in the General Election, 24th September 2026.
This manifesto has been designed to be delivered without an envelope to reduce costs and reduce waste.
If you’d like to arrange an appointment to have a chat about any issue please get in touch
- Telephone: 07624 300090
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: Michelle Haywood for Rushen
- By post: Marina House, Bay View Road, Port St Mary, IM9 5AQ
Produced by Michelle Haywood. Printed by Copyshop Ltd, Braddan.