Ceremony to be heard in Douglas instead

A Castletown commissioner insists they were given little opportunity to ensure the Lieutenant Governor swearing-in ceremony remained in the town.

The local authority and the town’s MHK have come under fire - particularly from former chief minister and Castletown MHK Tony Brown - for not fighting to retain the occasion in the ancient capital.

Incoming governor Richard Gozney will be sworn in at Douglas Courthouse in May, rather than Castle Rushen, its traditional home.

Commissioner Kevin Weir says it’s unfair for the local authority to be blamed: