The Branches of Tynwald, the Legislative Council and the House of Keys, sit in their separate chambers in Douglas to consider Bills. These Bills are passed by both Branches and then signed by a majority of each Branch when sitting together in Tynwald, and must then receive Her Majesty's Royal Assent before becoming law in the Isle of Man. When the Branches sit together in the Tynwald Chamber in Douglas, they form the Tynwald Court. Tynwald Court authorises the expenditure of the Isle of Man Government and scrutinises its administration.

The Queen Lord of Mann

For many centuries the Stanley family (the Earls of Derby) were feudal Kings or Lords of Mann, but in 1765, the Island was purchased by the British Crown. Her Majesty The Queen is therefore Lord Proprietor of the Island and is formally referred to on the Island as 'The Queen, Lord of Mann.'

The Lieutenant Governor

The Lieutenant Governor is the personal representative of the Queen on the Island. He is appointed by the Sovereign, on the advice of the Home Secretary and with the concurrence of the Government of the Isle of Man, and usually serves for a five year term. The Lieutenant Governor, His Excellency Vice Admiral Sir Paul Haddacks KCB was appointed in 2005.

Formerly, the Lieutenant Governor was, in essence, the executive head of the Government on the Island but in recent years, the role of the Lieutenant Governor has become somewhat more vice-regal. Many of the governmental functions have now been transferred to the Council of Ministers or to Government Departments and in exercising the majority of his remaining functions the Lieutenant Governor acts on the advice of, and with the concurrence of, the Council of Ministers. However, he retains some important constitutional duties. In respect of parliamentary matters, for example, the Lieutenant Governor may dissolve the House of Keys and may, since 1981, grant Royal Assent on behalf of the Queen to designated Bills passed by Tynwald. The Lieutenant Governor usually presides over the St. John's Ceremony. However, if present on the Island, it is customary for the Sovereign to preside at St. John's and other members of the Royal Family may also preside under Letters Patent granted for that purpose.

The President of Tynwald

The President of Tynwald presides over Tynwald when it sits in Douglas and also in the Council. He is responsible for order and the conduct of business in Tynwald and Council. He is elected by the members of Tynwald from amongst their own number. The President of Tynwald, Hon N Q Cringle OBE, was elected in 2000. Prior to 1990, the Lieutenant Governor presided over Tynwald and prior to 1980 over the Legislative Council. From 1980 to 1990 the Council elected its own President.

The Legislative Council

The Legislative Council is the Upper Branch of Tynwald. It consists of three ex officio members, the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man and Her Majesty's Attorney General and eight members elected by the House of Keys. The term 'Sodor', in the Bishop's title, refers to the medieval diocese, which used to include the Hebrides, also known as the 'Sudreys' or Southern Isles (as opposed to the 'Nordreys' or Northern Isles ie. the Orkneys and Shetland). Historically, the Bishop was a Baron and, as a Lord Spiritual, a member of Tynwald. The remaining eight members of the Legislative Council are elected by the House of Keys for terms which expire in the February following the fourth anniversary of the date of election. Although elected by the Keys, not infrequently from among its own members, the elected members of the Legislative Council are not controlled by, or delegates of, the House of Keys.

The House of Keys

The House of Keys is the Lower Branch of Tynwald and is directly elected by the people of the Isle of Man; a General Election is held every five years although, exceptionally, the House could be dissolved and a General Election held within that period. For many centuries, it has had a membership of twenty-four (in Manx, 'Kiare as Feed'), although when the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles existed, it had representatives from the Hebrides and numbered thirty-two.

The twenty-four members represent single-member and multi-member constituencies. The present allocation of seats is as follows: Ayre (1 member); Castletown (1 member); Douglas East (2 members); Douglas North (2 members); Douglas South (2 members); Douglas West (2 members); Garff (1 member); Glenfaba (1 member); Malew and Santon (1 member); Michael (1 member); Middle (1 member); Onchan (3 members); Peel (1 member); Ramsey (2 members); Rushen (3 members).

The Speaker of the House of Keys

The Speaker of the House of Keys is elected by the House from amongst its own members immediately the House assembles after a General Election. He presides in the House and is responsible for order and its conduct of business. In Tynwald, he is the spokesman of the House, although he attends Tynwald as an elected member and has there the same rights and duties as other elected members. The Hon Stephen Charles Rodan (BSc MR Pharm S.) MHK was elected Speaker in 2006.

The Officers of the Court

The Clerk of Tynwald, Secretary of the House of Keys and Counsel to the Speaker, assists the President and the Speaker in organising the business of Tynwald and the House of Keys, and advises on procedure. He is responsible for maintaining a record of the proceedings and, as Counsel to the Speaker, he advises members on Bills coming before the Branches. The Clerk of the Legislative Council and Clerk Assistant of Tynwald assists the President in the Legislative Council in organising the business of the Council, advises on procedure and is responsible for maintaining a record of the proceedings of that Branch.

The Chaplain of the House of Keys leads the House in prayers at the beginning of their sittings. 'Yn Lhaihder' ('The Reader') fences the Court in the Manx language and, when required, promulgates the Acts in Manx.

The Sword of State

The Ancient Sword of State is carried before the Sovereign or the Governor by the Sword Bearer at each meeting of Tynwald at St. John's. The Sword of State dates from not later than the 12th Century. It is traditionally the sword of Olaf Godredson (Olaf II or Olaf the Black), who became King of the Sudreys (Southern Hebrides and Man) in 1226. Together with an army of northern Manxmen, he successfully routed a challenge to his rule on 14th February in 1228 at Tynwald (considered to be Tynwald Hill, St John's). His followers are said to have scattered the opposing forces like sheep.

The ceremonial sword is used at the Tynwald Day sitting at St Johns and is carried by the Sword Bearer preceding the Sovereign or the Lieutenant Governor in the procession. It also appears when Tynwald sits in the Legislative Chambers in Douglas where a replica of the sword is displayed on non-sitting days.

The sword signifies the duty of the Sovereign, acting through Tynwald, to protect and defend the people from the incursions of their enemies, in peace and in war. Tynwald is not properly constituted and no proceedings can take place without its presence. Members show deference to its authority by standing in their places as the sword is brought in and placed in position prior to commencement of business.

The Sword of State has a two-edged steel blade, 29 inches long, with a hardwood hilt, 9 inches long, which tapers from the guard to the pommel. The guard is a thin steel band, 11 inches across, surmounted where the guard intersects the blade with shields carrying the Three Legs, which also appear on the flattened pommel. The current Sword Bearer is Mrs Bernadette McCabe, appointed in 1997, who is the first woman to hold the position.

The Deemsters

There are three full-time judges on the Island known as 'Deemsters.' The First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls is the Chief Judge of the Island's High Court of Justice and, in the absence of the Governor, acts as Deputy Governor.

The office of Deemster is of very ancient origin. The name is derived from the 'doom' or judgment, which, in olden times before written records were kept, the Deemster gave as 'Breast Law.' At the Tynwald Ceremony it still remains the duty of the Deemsters to promulgate Acts of Tynwald by reading the title of each Act and a memorandum containing a brief statement of its object and purport in Manx and English from Tynwald Hill.

The Chief Minister and the Council of Ministers

The Chief Minister is the political head of the Isle of Man Government. The office, in its present form, came into being in December 1986. The Council of Ministers consists of the Chief Minister and nine Ministers and is primarily responsible for the formulation and implementation of Government policy. The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor on the nomination of Tynwald; Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the nomination of the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister and the Ministers are all members of Tynwald. The Chief Minister, Hon James Anthony BROWN MHK was appointed after the General Election in 2006.

The Coroners

The Coroners are officers of Tynwald and the Courts, who serve summonses and other processes and enforce their execution.

Acknowledgement: Clerk of Tynwald