How Middle nearly had two MHKs

The sitting member of the House of Keys for Middle has been reminding his constituents how close they came to voting for two MHKs at the general election in September.

Martyn Quayle was unhappy with plans from the last Boundary Commission to transfer the whole of Union Mills and the Ballafletcher area into North Douglas, and other parts of Middle into the southern part of the capital.

As an alternative to breaking up the rural constituency, which was only created in 1986, he suggested it should stay as it was and be awarded a second MHK.

His proposal just failed to carry, as he explained on Agenda last night (Monday):

Martyn Quayle is one of four people who have declared in Middle so far, the others being Juan Cottier, Howard Quayle and Paul Craine.