Edge: 'Chief minister probably can't count on my support'

Ousted Onchan MHK speaks to Manx Radio following CoMin departure

The former education minister says the chief minister probably won’t be able to count on her support in the future.

Julie Edge has told Manx Radio she believes there were ‘a lot of underhand operations’ surrounding her sacking from the Council of Ministers this week.

Alfred Cannan replaced the Onchan MHK with immediate effect, with Garff MHK Daphne Caine, on Wednesday (21 February).

He described it as a ‘strategic mid-term change’ later telling Manx Radio it was a ‘reshuffle’ despite announcing no further changes to his CoMin line-up.

You can find out more HERE.

Ms Edge, who held the post of DESC Minister since the start of Mr Cannan’s administration in October 2021, said she was ‘disappointed’ but to some extent ‘not surprised’.

This, she said, was because she was the ‘difficult woman’ who ‘regularly challenges decisions and offers the public perspective’.

She also claimed the fact she was informed of the decision after she told Mr Cannan of her intention to speak publicly about the Rosalind Ranson case, and whistleblowing, ‘speaks volumes to me’.

Ms Edge’s political colleague, fellow Onchan MHK, Rob Callister – who was also sacked by Mr Cannan – said he’d ‘never heard of a strategic change involving just one person in any organisation’.

He also asked his constituents whether the Island should follow Jersey and Guernsey in replacing the chief minister saying he’d received ‘so many comments’ in recent weeks calling for the same.

Ms Edge faced a difficult start to 2024 which included calls for her own resignation over the potential closure of the Southern Swimming Pool.

But she told Manx Radio’s political correspondent Phil Gawne she was under the impression she had Mr Cannan’s support:

You can hear more from Julie Edge, on Agenda with Phil Gawne, at 6pm on Monday (26 February).