Hon Chris Thomas MHK has today been appointed as Ard-Shirveishagh Ellan Vannin – the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.
Mr Thomas was nominated for the role by the House of Keys this morning after receiving the backing of a majority of Members. He becomes the first Douglas MHK to hold the role.
At a short ceremony at Government House, Mr Thomas was presented with his warrant by the Lieutenant Governor, His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir John Lorimer, formally appointing him as the Island’s Ard-Shirveishagh.
Mr Thomas said:
‘It is an honour to be appointed as the Island’s Ard-Shirveishagh and I thank colleagues in the House of Keys who have put their faith in me to lead the Island’s government. I am mindful, however, that I am the first among equals. My priority is to deliver a smaller, smarter and smoother government that focuses on the real challenges facing the Isle of Man and gets things done for the people we serve.’
Mr Thomas has been a Member of the House of Keys since 2013 and has served in a number of ministerial roles, most recently as Treasury Minister. He has also served as Chair of Culture Vannin since 2016.
The Ard-Shirveishagh has begun work on forming a Council of Ministers, with an announcement expected in the coming days.
