I'll Love Man...
Few interesting facts about the Isle of Man, let's start with the basics:+ The Isle of Man is NOT part of the United Kingdom, although it IS part of the British Isles. However, as a "Crown Dependency" - the United Kingdom takes care of the island's external and defence affairs.
+ It is NOT part of the European Union and is not part of the European Economic Area (EEA). Nonetheless, Protocol Three of the treaty of accession of the United Kingdom permits trade for Manx goods without non-EU tariffs. In conjunction with the Customs and Excise agreement with the UK, this facilitates free trade with the UK. While Manx goods can be freely moved within the EEA, people, capital and services cannot.
+ The restriction on free movement of persons is anomalous in that the treaty establishing the EU clearly states that all citizens of member states will also be citizens of the EU. However a special protocol was inserted in the Treaty of Accession of the United Kingdom excluding the Channel Islands and Isle of Man from the provisions governing free movement of people.
+ Travel to the Isle of Man is regulated by the local government laws, although the Isle of Man is part of the Common Travel Area. Visitors from countries who require a UK visa may also require a special Manx visa, obtainable from a British diplomatic mission. All non-Manx, including UK citizens, are required to obtain a work permit to take up employment on the Island.
+ There is only one mountain on the Isle of Man - Snaefell (Snow Mountain).
+ Transport on the island includes Horse Drawn Trams, Electric Trams and steam engine, as well as the more conventional bus and car routes.
+ Contrary to popular belief, homosexuality is legal on the island and birching is no longer used as a punishment of criminals. Taking these two points into account, you certainly cannot be birched for engaging in homosexual acts in the Isle of Man! It is true that the Isle of Man famously had a dispute with the European Court of Human Rights in the 1970s because it was reluctant to change its laws concerning birching (corporal punishment for male offenders) - and the law on sodomy might have also led down this road had it not been changed in the early 1990s.
+ The Isle of Man has it's own Parliament called "Tynwald" - and it makes it's own laws.
+ Tynwald is one of the oldest Parliaments in the world, dating back to from at least AD 979. Tynwald is a bicameral legislature, comprising the House of Keys (directly elected by universal suffrage) and the Legislative Council (consisting of indirectly elected and ex officio members). These two bodies meet together in joint session as Tynwald. There is also a Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Chief Minister.
+ Most Manx politicians stand for election as independents rather than as representatives of political parties. Though political parties do exist, their influence is not nearly as strong as is the case in the United Kingdom.
+ The only main political party in the UK to have a sister party in the Isle of Man is the Labour Party, however it should be noted that having said this the Manx Labour Party is NOT affiliated to the UK Labour Party.
+ There are other political parties. Mec Vannin, advocates the establishment of a sovereign republic; there also used to be a Manx National Party and a Manx Communist party; there are also Manx members in the Celtic League, a political pressure group that advocates greater co-operation between and political autonomy for the Celtic nations.
+ Caravans are banned on the island. Although camping is popular, and caravanettes are allowed.
+ There is an annual football tournament which has run for many years, although it was cancelled this year. Traditionally lower league teams from across the UK are invited and are pitted against the Isle of Man's national XI. The only Premiership team to have played in this tournament (whilst being current members of the Premiership) are Watford FC - although it should be noted that Watford lost all their games. :-/
+ Although known as a "tax haven", it is more accurate to describe the island as a low tax economy. It has income tax rates of 10% and 18% and 0% rate of corporate tax. As a result the island is a popular area for the finance industry, the gambling industry and for many rich individuals eager to keep their earnings away from the UK tax man.
+ Many films are made in the Isle of Man, this is probably partially due to the incredible natural scenery provided on the island and partially due to the favourable incentives offered to the film industry by the Manx Government.
+ There is a Fairy Bridge on the island!
+ Popular myth has it that there are no speed limits on the Isle of Man. This is not true. Over areas of the mountains it is true that there is no upper speed limit, however most residential areas are covered by the usual UK speed restrictions. Interestingly the Isle of Man was one of the first areas of the British Isles to introduce "Safe Areas" of 20 mph speed restrictions.
+ Tourism is nowhere near the levels seen in the golden era of the 1950s and 1960s thanks to the proliferation of cheap packet holidays to other (warmer) areas of Europe. However the TT motorcycle races still bring in thousands of entusiasts every year.
+ The future of the TT is always in doubt with regards to the safety - the races are extremely dangerous because of the high speeds on very narrow, twisting streets, roads and lanes flanked by stone walls and buildings. Between 1907 and 2006 there have been 222 deaths (this number includes the riders killed during the amateur version, the Manx Grand Prix).
+ In 2007 the TT will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
+ During the Sunday of TT week any member of the public can attempt to race on the course - this is known as "Mad Sunday". It is a good time to stay away from the TT course!
I think that's about all the need to know facts, and that's without discussing famous residents or celebrity visitors, but if you want to know anything else then stick questions in the comments box. Thanks. :-)
posted by Kerron @ 1:37 PM
9 Comments:
Do you mean to say that there are not any Liberal Democrats on the Isle Of Man? If so, is this down to very effective pest control?
I once saw a Manx cat in a very small zoo in Gabravo, Bulgaria. Gabravoians tell a story about themselves being so tight that they shut the doors of their houses before a cat has had time to get its tail through.
Ahh, I meant to say something about the Manx Cat situation, so thanks for reminding me.
It's not true that all the cats on the island have no tails. Some do and some don't. Some just have varying degrees of stump!
No idea if this is due to interlopers from the mainland affecting the pure Manx feline gene pool, but it wouldn't surprise me.
The established myth about how the Manx cat lost his tail is that he was the last animal into the ark and when the door was shut it chopped off his tail.
Although this wouldn't really hold up under any scrutiny - even if you accept Noah's Ark happened and is physically accurate (i.e. not figurative), you have to accept that the cat isn't mentioned going onto the ark let alone it having it's tail chopped off. Also why wouldn't future generations of cat on the Ark have normal tails - it was an injury, not a genetic defect.
Also if the Manx cat did have his tail chopped off on the Ark (and it actually all happened, and it was a genetic defect from that point on), why are there normal cats as well as Manx ones?
Did Noah round up different breeds of cat, or just extra cats, in the knowledge he was going to chop a tail off in the door?
If so, this would be a clear case of wilful animal cruelty and I would expect Noah and his ancestors to be punished appropriately for such a crime.
"Caravans are banned on the island. Although camping is popular, and caravanettes are allowed."
So no sign of Margaret Beckett then! ;)
"I'll Love Man"
Coming out is always liberating!
As I said it's completely legal, Andrea.
As is camping. ;-)
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No Hassle Loans is always a hard act to follow on these things but can you please tell me Kerron: does the Tynwald have a particularly lenient attitude to grocers' apostrophes? Or is that just blogger?
And is it true that the liberalisation on sodomy came after members of the Tynwald and the Manx constabulary had been caught with their trousers down as it were by their own bog police on the Nobles Park (Knobbles?) campsite behind the TT grandstand?
I had my honeymoon on the island on 1971, my wife and I arrived on a Sunday after taking the ferry from Liverpool. Nearly everything on the island was shut and we could not get anything to eat until the Monday morning. The flatlet we stayed in was lovely though, as was the scenery. I remember climbing up the spiral staircase on the the Laxey Wheel the largest working waterwheel in the world.
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