Candidate Profile

Bill Platt - Douglas East

Full Name	Bill Platt
Age	46
Marital Status	Married
Children	2 – Hannah and Leah
Place of Birth	Lennoxtown – Scotland
	If not the Isle of Man when did you move here? 5 years ago
Occupation	Youth Worker

 

Political History & Views

What is your political history or relevant experience?

As a young man I was a member of the Young Socialists. I was heavily influenced my Karl Marx and the hope of a fairer democratic system of government that would benefit the “working man”. It took a number of years for me to realise how idealistic my political thinking had become. Although I still supported successive labour candidates in their efforts to be elected I became disillusioned with party politics, lost faith in the system during the “Thatcher” years and eventually gave up politics completely with the onset of “New Labour”.

Over the last five years, since being on the Isle of Man, I have regained some interest and lately kept a very close eye on government at both local and national level. In November of 2005 I mad the decision to renter the political debate.

 

Are you a member of any organisation which guides or influences your political views or polices?

First of all let me declare openly and honestly, as I always have done, I am a Christian. Therefore my faith is an influence in my decisions about all private and public matters.

My question is do you have to be a member of an organisation in order for your views or policies to be influenced. Everyone is influenced by all manner of events and people. Sometimes we belong to groups (without being a member) and sometimes we do not want this information in the public arena, so this section has to be taken within the context of honesty.

What are your main national issues?

1. A significant and swift response to the Commission of Enquiry 2006. Especially the matter of an independent Commissioner for Children and Young People.
2. A strategy to identify early year’s intervention for vulnerable families and children and increased funding over at least 15 years to measure the effectiveness of the strategy.
3. I would like to see a public plan for all immigration and border control issues. This would include issues like illegal and legal immigration; work permits; restricted occupations, deportation and of course a study into the total maximum number of residents on the island before the infrastructure becomes unable to cope.
4. Continued support for the farming / agriculture industry.
5. A coherent plan for all green issues, including recycling, composting, land fills, incinerator and alternative energy supplies.
6. The need for a serious discussion on “off island” transport for Isle of Man residents.
7. To change the existing government mindset of “silo” thinking and the lack of communication between departments.
8. To implement a policy of actively encouraging the voluntary community. By allowing the charitable and voluntary sector the space to grow and do what they do best we all gain the benefits as a society.

What are your main local issues?

1. To have a greater level of communication with the Police with regards to Douglas East and to build a relationship of mutual trust and respect with regards to policing the unique area known as the Promenade.
2. To establish a close working relationship with local councilors so that matters arising which belong with local government can be passed on a dealt with, without the intervention of MHK’s.

What do you believe you would bring to government as an MHK?

I have no interest in politics, by that I mean I have no time for the media discussion image building nonsense that some politicians involve themselves in, especially near an election. The main concern of a politician is to serve the needs of the people they represent and the people they don’t, i.e. local and national government.

After five years of working with all manner of people in and around East Douglas, I have a feeling for the reasons as to why people are ambivalent towards voting. They have no interest in the political system because they have no sense of ownership, the have no trust in the government being there to help them in their ordinary lives. This is a perspective which needs better information (openness of government) and a reality that needs challenging (accountability of government).

believe have the integrity, honesty and passion to make a difference from within the government because up till now I have made absolutely no impact from outside.

Other Documents & Information