Tynwald recall plans dismissed

A Tynwald committee says the public shouldn't be able to call an election if politicians are jailed or suspended.

The Standards and Members' Interests Committee will present a report to the court when it sits next week.

In it, the committee considered whether it should introduce similar rules to the UK, where MPs can be sacked if enough voters sign a petition.

But the committee says there's no justification to add the power to other penalties that can be imposed.

The committee says the process could backfire if an MHK was recalled but then won the ensuing election.

In its report, it says such a procedure would be unfair because voters might not get both sides of the story.

And for Legislative Council members, the committee says a recall process would undermine their independence needed for proper scrutiny.