Isle of Man’s odd laws

Press, 15 July 1982, Page 17

Isle of Man’s odd laws

Killing a Scotsman and going unpunished, eating preservative-free kippers, and trading with the European Economic Community when it suits, are all peculiarities of the Isle of Man and its inhabitants.. The islanders have just celebrated more than a millenium 'of the Tynwald, the .Manx Parliament, which does not bother with defence but jealously guards the right to levy taxes, protect Manx beer, kippers, and icecream, and adopt individual attitudes to European affairs. The “Irish Times” reported

that the right of a Manx islander to remain free after killing a Scot is still on the statute books. Another anomaly is that the island is still officially at war with Germany, having signed the peace treaty after the First World War, but not after the Second World War. And trading with the E.E.C. is entirely flexible, dependent, it seems, on mood. Manx ice-cream, however, is exported to Saudi Arabia, and the kippers and ale are famous because no preservatives are allowed. Possibly the most contro-

versial aspect of the island’s idws. is taxation. The island is a haven for tax avoidance as it levies a flat 20.5 per cent income tax, with no capital gains or corporation taxation. The Isle of Man is a dependency of Britain, and its Parliament was founded 1003 years ago. Each year, the members of the House of Keys and the Legislative Council assemble on Tynwald Hill and read out in English and Manx all laws passed in the past year so that any of the 60,000, inhabitants can state an objection. This right has existed

since the Norsemen came to Man, a history which places the island ,on the Celtic fringe. A tie with Ireland, is the conversion/ of the islanders to Christianity by St Patrick, i

Since the Reformation the island has become predominantly Methodist and its wisdom is essentially practical. The main tourist attraction is the casino, the only one in Britain, although bookmakers were recently banned.

Later they were given a reprieve — now they take bets only in the morning. — NZPA, London.