Douglas East By-Election 12th November

Matthew Robinson
Email: robinsonmatthew67@gmail.com

ABOUT ME

I am 24 years old and I was born on the island and have lived here for most of my life,
growing up on a farm in Santon. I currently work for Graih, a homeless charity based
in Douglas, where I work on a day to day basis with some of the poorest and most
vulnerable members of our society. When I am not working I love being outdoors,
walking and fishing. I also really enjoy reading, particularly books on politics and
history. I am also a Christian and have been involved in doing youth work in
churches and schools across the whole island.

Equality, Safety and Security for Our Island... Vote Matthew Robinson

HOUSING

The quality of housing on our island, particularly for people who are renting is
disgraceful. Too many people are living in accommodation that is below even the
most basic standards. In my work I hear stories of people who are living in flats and
rooms that lack cooking and cleaning facilities or even rooms without locks. There
are very clear links between quality of housing and mental health, with people living
in unsuitable accommodation being much more vulnerable to problems of addiction,
depression and other such issues. Improving the standard of housing would increase
the quality of life for many people and in the long run would save money for our
healthcare and criminal justice services.
I would work alongside landlords in creating legislation that would ensure an
improved standard for all rental accommodation which is needed to meet the
needs of any individual to live in a safe and healthy living environment, the
results therefore benefitting not only the tenants but also the landlords.

WELFARE REFORM

There are major proposals to our benefits system under discussion at the moment,
aimed at encouraging the long term unemployed to re-enter the workforce by
gradually reducing the amount that is paid out to those on job seekers allowance.
While we certainly do not want the safety net to become a hammock we cannot
assume that simply reducing benefits will get people into employment. Instead we
need a more considered approach focused on giving people the right training,
potentially through giving those who are currently unemployed more access to
courses at the college, and the long term support they need. This would give more
people an opportunity to go from dependence on welfare to supporting themselves
through employment.
I would work towards offering more training and support for the long term
unemployed to reduce benefits dependency.

Equality, Safety and Security for Our Island... Vote Matthew Robinson

WORK PERMITS

The work permits system is supposed to ensure a fair deal for Manx workers and give
the government control over the inflow of foreign workers. In practice it does
neither: the work permit system does little to give work to locals, and much to
frustrate businesses that need skilled workers. Both Manx people and businesses
would benefit more if Manx workers had access to more education and training after
leaving school. The current system also makes foreign workers, particularly those
with limited English, vulnerable to exploitation with very limited security.
I would ensure that the work permit system would be reviewed and explore the
need for its existence at all, if more effort was placed into offering training and
education for Manx citizens after they leave school.

MENTAL HEALTH

There are many excellent workers in government and charities who work incredibly
hard to support people suffering with mental health issues. The lack of support for
these workers and the coordination of government departments and charities need
to be addressed as it is currently unsatisfactory. We also need to work harder to
help those suffering with addictions, particularly drug and alcohol related ones.
Helping people to overcome their addictions requires short term investment but
provides huge long term benefits, both to the individual and to society.
I would seek for the Isle of Man to increase investment in the treatment of
mental health issues and addictions, alongside greater effort to coordinate
workers in this area.

Equality, Safety and Security for Our Island... Vote Matthew Robinson

INTERNATIONAL AID

I believe that the Isle of Man has a duty not only to its own citizens but also to
contribute internationally. Our governments international aid budget is just 0.07%
of GDP, a tenth of the 0.7% that the UK gives. If we were to raise our giving to match
the UKs over the next decade we could see an improvement our worldwide
community at limited cost to ourselves, whilst at the same time raising the profile of
the island in a very positive way.
I would push for our international aid budget to rise steadily over the next ten
years to bring it in line with the UK.

WHY I AM STANDING

The Isle of Man is a safe, stable and prosperous place to live for most of its citizens.
We have a strong economy, low unemployment and we are thriving culturally. It is
tempting to be satisfied by this and continue with the status quo. However this
would be a waste of a great opportunity: an opportunity to ensure that our
prosperity benefits every individual, an opportunity to tackle poverty and need, on
the Island and beyond, an opportunity to give a better deal to the most vulnerable
members of our society.
Too many people on the island live in sub-standard accommodation that is certainly
not fit for purpose, especially in this constituency. Real poverty is a huge issue here
and unfortunately one which has for too long been swept under the carpet to be
dealt with later. This needs to be addressed not only as it places a heavy burden on
our services and our economy but for the greater good for those living in this
poverty.
If I were elected I would seek to grasp this opportunity and fight for a fairer
society, in East Douglas and beyond through representing the people of this
constituency and those in our society whose voices are not heard in
government.

Equality, Safety and Security for Our Island... Vote Matthew Robinson