Allan Bell

Allan Robert Bell CBE (born 20 June 1947) is a Manx politician who was the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, having been elected to that position on 11 October 2011. He was an Independent Member of the House of Keys for Ramsey from 1984 to September 2016, and served in several different ministerial roles. He was replaced as Chief Minister on 4 October 2016.[1]

This article is about the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man. For the sociolinguist, see Allan Bell (sociolinguist). For the Canadian classical composer, see Allan Gordon Bell.

The Honourable

Allan Bell

CBE MHK
Chief Minister of the Isle of Man
In office
11 October 2011 – 4 October 2016
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorAdam Wood
Preceded byTony Brown
Succeeded byHoward Quayle
Minister for Economic Development
In office
2010–2011
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byNew position
Succeeded byJohn Shimmin
Minister for the Treasury
In office
2001–2010
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byRichard Corkill
Succeeded byAnne Craine
Minister for Home Affairs
In office
1996–2001
MonarchElizabeth II
Preceded byRichard Corkill
Succeeded byPhil Braidwood
Personal details
Born (1947-06-20) 20 June 1947
NationalityManx
Political partyIndependent

Early life and education

Bell was educated at Ramsey Grammar School. He was involved in banking and clothing retail prior to entering politics.[2]

Political career

Bell was first elected to the House of Keys as an Independent representing Ramsey in a 1984 by-election and continued as such until 22 September 2016 when he did not seek re-election. He had first, unsuccessfully. contested Ramsey in 1976 as a candidate for Manx nationalist party Mec Vannin.[3]

He served in numerous ministerial roles including Minister for Tourism and Transport, from 1986–90, Minister of Tourism, Leisure and Transport, from 1990–94, Minister of Industry, from 1991–96, Minister of Home Affairs, from 1996–2001, Minister of the Treasury, from 2001–10 and was the first Minister for Economic Development, from 2010–11.

He was named as a central figure[4] in the "corruption of the system of government"[5] identified by Mount Murray Commission of Inquiry[6] (2002-2003), referring to his time as Tourism Minister in the early 1990s.

Chief Minister

On 11 October 2011, Bell was elected Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, winning a clear majority over Liberal Vannin opponent Peter Karran. Bell was proposed by Eddie Teare and seconded by Laurence Skelly. [7]

While Bell was Chief Minister in 2013, the government signed a deal involving a £1.3 million bail-out loan and property purchase for the hotel chain Sefton Group which Bell stated was a "small but decisive part" in "support[ing] the economy".[8] After a legal review found the deal to be "outside of government powers", Bell initially refused to accept the proffered resignation of the economic development minister, John Shimmin.[9]

Bell was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for public service to the Isle of Man.[10]

Government positions

Personal life

In a 2015 interview with The Guardian, Bell stated that "People know that I’m gay. I’ve never made a secret of it, but no one has ever asked me."[11]

Retirement

On 1 August 2016, Bell announced that he was retiring after 37 years within Manx politics.[12]

See also

References
  1. "New Chief Minister of the Isle of Man". 10 April 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  2. "Allan Bell". OECD. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. "Hon Allan Robert BELL MHK (Ramsey)". Tynwald. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  4. www.gov.im (PDF) https://www.gov.im/media/622139/section17part1.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2018. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. www.gov.im (PDF) https://www.gov.im/media/622157/section20part1.pdf. Retrieved 31 December 2018. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. "Isle of Man Government - Mount Murray Report". www.gov.im. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  7. "Allan Bell is elected the Isle of Man's chief minister". BBC News. 11 October 2011.
  8. Darbyshire, Adrian (19 April 2013). "Govt bail out struggling Sefton Group". Isle of Man Today. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  9. Vannin, Ellan (17 June 2014). "Hotel deal 'beyond power of Isle of Man government'". BBC Online. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  10. "No. 61608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2016. p. B26.
  11. Pidd, Helen (5 October 2015). "Isle of Man leader draws line under 'dark days' and aims to legalise gay marriage". TheGuardian.com. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  12. "Chief Minister steps down after 32 years in politics". 28 July 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by
Tony Brown		 Chief Minister of the Isle of Man
2011–16		 Succeeded by
Howard Quayle
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