Convicted drink-drive MLC Tony Wild should do the honourable thing and resign.
That’s the call from the MHK who first nominated Wild for his seat in the Legislative Council.
Douglas North MHK John Houghton said: ‘I think he should resign. His position is untenable and he should do the honourable thing and resign. He should have done that the day he was charged.
‘All members are embarrassed. He wasn’t just over the limit – he was three times over the limit and going out to buy more booze. He was a potential killer on the road.’
Michael MHK Alfred Cannan said: ‘My own view is that he is going to have to consider his position very carefully.’
Wild, 57, of Fairy Cottage, Lonan, was sentenced last week to 180 hours’ community service, as a direct alternative to eight weeks’ custody, having earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of drink-driving.
The court heard he had been on his way to buy more booze when he was arrested by police outside the Co-op in Laxey at 8pm on December 12. A witness had reported seeing him drive erratically.
Wild, who had been drinking since 3pm that day, had to hold on to a signpost to steady himself while speaking to the officer.
For the sentencing hearing, letters of reference were supplied by LegCo colleagues Bishop Robert Paterson and Education Minister Tim Crookall, Treasury Minister Eddie Teare MHK and Policy and Reform Minister John Shimmin MHK.
In court, Wild’s defence advocate Peter Russell said his client felt a great deal of embarrassment and shame and had asked to apologise to the court, the police and the community as a whole.
Mr Russell insisted this was a one-off event and his client had been suffering from mental health issues at the time and had been self-medicating with alcohol.
There is no statutory or standing order procedure to enable Tynwald to remove a member.
A seat could be made vacant by reasons of bankruptcy, absence for six months without leave and being a member of a local authority. It would therefore be up to the individual member to resign.
The Representation of the People Act provides for certain other circumstances that would allow for a seat to be vacated including a custodial sentence, or suspended custody.
The Keys may also declare a seat to be vacant in cases of ‘mental disorder’.
But these apply only to the House of Keys.
If a member resigned it would have to be made public as the member would be obliged to write to the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House of Keys would need to inform MHKs.