The Speaker of the House of Keys () is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the House at its first sitting after an election. He is responsible for controlling the procedure of the House and for the authoritative interpretation of its standing orders. He sets the business of the House and authorises the order of business of the House for each sitting. The Speaker uses the letters SHK after his name.
The Speaker is not entitled to speak in debates in the House, but is entitled to vote. If a vote is tied, convention dictates that he votes to continue debate or retain the status quo. However the Speaker is entitled to, and does, speak in debates in Tynwald Court.
All Speakers from 1750 to 1898 were members of either the Moore or the Taubman families or married into them. Until 1866, the Keys were unelected.
Before the House was first elected in 1867 the role of Speaker was assumed to be for life. Thus when Edward Moore Gawne resigned in 1867, he was the first Speaker not to die in office. Since then, although it is possible to resign the office, or nowadays even to fail to be re-elected, all Speakers died in office until Charles Kerruish in 1990, with the exception of John Robert Kerruish, who was elected to the Legislative Council in 1919. Since then none have died in office.
Speakers dress in the same official dress as the Speaker of the House of Commons: a black silk damask gold lace robe with full bottom wig for state occasions and a black silk gown for normal day business. The current robe was donated by the Speaker of the House of Commons in 1966 to commemorate the centenary of popular elections to the House of Keys.
On 27 September 2016, Juan Watterson was elected as Speaker, the youngest person to hold the office since John Senhouse Goldie-Taubman.
Chairmen of the House of the Keys Richard Stevenson, c.1649–c.1660 Edward Christian, c.1660–1673 Charles Christian, 1673–1697 Thomas Stevenson, 1697–1704 John Stevenson, 1704–1738 Thomas Heywood, 1738–1758
Speakers of the House of Keys George Moore, 1758–1780 John Taubman, 1780–1799 John Taubman, 1799–1823 Mark Wilks, 1823–1831 Alexander John Goldie, 1831–1844 John Taubman Goldie-Taubman, 1844–1847 John Moore, 1847–1854 Edward Moore Gawne, 1854–1867 John Senhouse Goldie-Taubman, 1867–1898 Arthur William Moore, 1898–1909 Dalrymple Maitland, 1909–1919 John Robert Kerruish, 1919 George Frederick Clucas, 1919–1937 Joseph Davidson Qualtrough, 1937–1960 Henry Knowles Corlett, 1960–1962 Charles Kerruish, 1962–1990 George Victor Harris Kneale, 1990–1991 James Crookall Cain, 1991–1996 Noel Quayle Cringle, 1996–2000 John David Qualtrough Cannan, 2000–2001 Tony Brown, 2001–2006 Steve Rodan, 2006–2016 Juan Watterson, 2016-2026
Recent elections Year Candidates Votes Elected2021Juan Wattersonunopposed-2016Juan WattersonunopposedJuan Watterson2011Steve RodanunopposedSteve Rodan 2006 Steve Rodan 10 votes David Cannan 7 votes Quintin Gill 6 votes2001 Tony Brown 15 votes Tony Brown David Cannan 9 votes2000* David Cannan 11 votes David Cannan Tony Brown 10 votes1996Noel CringleunopposedNoel Cringle1991James Cain15 votesJames CainEdgar Mann9 votes
*Following the election of Noel Cringle as President of Tynwald
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