Commissioner no confidence motion ‘damning and deeply unfair persecution,’ says Green Party

The leader of the Isle of Man Green Party has defended Ramsey Commissioner Lamara Craine about comments she made on Facebook about people who litter.

Andrew Langan-Newton says the decision to have a vote of no confidence in her, last week, was ‘damning’ and ‘deeply unfair’.

The original comments had been posted on a private group on social media but were then spread into a public forum.

Mr Langan-Newton says the party ‘supports’ Ms Craine and the ‘important’ issue of litter and disposable vapes was lost.

In a statement the Isle of Man Green Party says a decision made by board members to vote against an amendment, which would have included committing criminal offences, was ‘stark’ and ‘prioritised the unfair demonisation’ of Lamara Craine.

The political party also says in its statement that ‘a male commissioner at Ramsey Town Commissioners ‘ironically’ pleaded guilty to an offence of depositing unlicensed waste in 2022, during his term as a commissioner.

It added: "Seemingly, the message sent by this vote is that the commissioners implicitly condone such criminal acts whilst excoriating members who make lonely and impassioned calls to protect our natural environment and criticise those who would do it damage.

"An impossible moral double-standard, impossible to either comprehend or accept."

The vote of no confidence was passed at the commissioner’s meeting by six votes to four.

Despite the vote, Lamara Craine is still a commissioner and can attend meetings.

The Local Democracy Reporter has been speaking to Andrew Langan-Newton: