'DED didn't force rally organisers hand'

After the cancellation of next month's Rally Isle of Man, the minister for economic development is insisting all Manx government backed events have to prove their worth.

It's been suggested the event wasn't bringing enough money into Island coffers to warrant the amount of government funding it received.

However, Allan Bell is dismissing organisers' claims that his department threatened to withdraw financial backing unless the rally was moved from the traditional summer date to the autumn (listen to audio file below):

Allan Bell is a candidate in the two-seat constituency of Ramsey in next week's general election.

In alphabetical order, the others are Linda Bowers-Kasch (Liberal Vannin), Anne Craine, Lawrie Hooper, John McDonough and Leonard Singer.

Polling day is September 29.