What have your MHKs promised you? Middle

Jane Poole-Wilson and James Cochrane were elected 

With Stu Peters, formerly of this parish, deciding he wasn't going to seek re-election, Middle was always going to have at least one new MHK. 

In the end, voters picked incumbent Jane Poole-Wilson, who topped the poll and first-time candidate James Cochrane, who took the second seat, were elected. 

But what did they promise voters during the campaign?

Housing

Mrs Poole-Wilson called housing one of her six priorities, supporting the 2024 Objective Assessment of Housing Need and arguing the next Strategic Plan should focus on types of homes, not just numbers. 

She wanted incentives to bring empty and dilapidated properties back into use, continued monitoring of help-to-buy schemes, continued brownfield development, and political responsibility for housing given to a single Minister with a cross-departmental remit. In her interview, she said the Housing and Communities Board probably was not sufficient to drive change, and that rates reform for empty properties should be done in bite-sized pieces. 

Mr Cochrane put housing first, citing 5,695 vacant homes, 13% of stock, and calling for one and two-bed starter homes, single-person homes to aid downsizing, a tradesperson-led self-build scheme conditioned on apprenticeships, a help-to-buy scheme built around two people buying jointly, noting a home cost 10.05 times a single young income but 5.1 times a joint one and a compulsory landlord register, since the 2021 Act left it voluntary. 

Energy

Mrs Poole-Wilson supported renewable transition, citing 84% reliance on imported fossil fuels for electricity and the volatility exposed when wholesale gas prices rose over 500% after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. She backed seabed development only if independently examined and delivering demonstrable benefit, plus continued investment in flood defences and energy efficiency schemes. 

Mr Cochrane framed energy around cost, arguing the island should aim to get electricity, broadband, ferries and flights close to UK prices and favouring solar and insulation over large distribution systems. He also said he would probably support a second interconnector.

Government Reform

Mrs Poole-Wilson wanted zero-based budgeting, core services defined with staffing and resources, periodic service design reviews, improved data and management information, continued digitisation, and action on the National Insurance Fund informed by the next Government Actuary's Department report. 

She supported a Citizens' Assembly on health and social care funding and further work from the Tynwald Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee's 2025–26 report. 

Mr Cochrane wanted one set of governance rules for projects and money, chief officers and directors legally answerable for departmental finances, a back-office hiring freeze with frontline exempt, readable accounts to IFRS or GAAP, National Accounts to IMF standard, and whistleblower protection. 

He argued the headline unemployment figure understated joblessness because most who lose work do not qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance. He also said he would be happy to serve in Council of Ministers, naming Treasury, Health and Education as appealing.

The Economy

Mrs Poole-Wilson pointed to 10,000 financial and professional services jobs representing 48% of GDP, stressing partnership with the private sector, alignment with international tax standards, and the Moneyval assessment.

She highlighted fintech and health innovation, citing Data Asset Foundation legislation as government putting enablers in place. 

Mr Cochrane argued the island had priced itself out, noting real output peaked at 299 in 2019/20 and fell to 263 by 2024, and the economy shrank 7.4% in two years to March 2024. He argued costs must come down because the Island uses the pound and cannot devalue, and cited no civil service efficiency gains since 2011.

Education

Mrs Poole-Wilson wanted reviews of sixth form provision, qualification pathways from 14+, and apprenticeships, plus policies to encourage graduates to return, and continued early years and additional needs support. Mr Cochrane wanted mandatory PSHE and RSHE with the opt-out limited to sex education, critical thinking as a core skill, apprenticeships tied to building projects, funded Care Certificates, and the SEN code made statutory, having been drafted in 2020 and never made law.

Steam Packet and Connectivity

Mrs Poole-Wilson backed the current ownership model, the Sea Services Agreement and Shareholder Agreement, and open skies with close monitoring. 

Mr Cochrane wanted a new Sea Services Agreement to reduce freight costs, with regulated prices, independent oversight and the boat priced as supporting infrastructure rather than a profit centre.

Local Government

Mrs Poole-Wilson worked with Braddan, Marown and Santon Commissioners on road safety, speed limits, crossing points and collision data. Mr Cochrane prioritised the TT Access Road, safer roads through Santon, Marown and Mount Rule.

Both agreed on better data, stronger accountability, housing action and apprenticeship reform.