On 4 March 2025, Gary Clueit was one of four people voted to join the Isle of Man’s Legislative Council. I believe the decision to appoint Gary Clueit to the Legislative Council raises serious concerns about the standards of public behaviour in Tynwald.

I believe that we now need a comprehensive, independent, and public investigation of antisemitism in the Isle of Man. This investigation should include the GClueit account on Twitter/X and all other communications by Gary Clueit. It should review the investigation promised by David Ashford in October 2023, and any other communications with members of Tynwald. It should review the behaviour of the Isle of Man Constabulary in relation to this matter.

The GClueit Twitter/X Account

The GClueit social media account was used to publish various statements in conjunction with Gary Clueit’s previous (unsuccessful) candidacy for the Legislative Council. Recently, the various public posts and statements of the GClueit account were removed from ordinary public view. While they have been removed from public view at x.com, records remain in other places.

Words in the past: action is now needed

Politicians in the Isle of Man Government have previously spoken about the importance of combatting hatred, racism and bigotry in our community. These words now need to be backed with a comprehensive, independent and public investigation of antisemitism in the Isle of Man.

Misplaced faith in IOM Governance procedures

As the grandson of Holocaust survivors – and the great-grandson of people murdered in the Holocaust – I have always been aware of antisemitism. When I was a child, my grandmother, Nanna Danka, told me harrowing stories of where the unique evils of antisemitism took humanity last century.

It has previously been my general view that drawing public attention to antisemitism on the Isle of Man would be unhelpful to the safety and security of Jews on the Isle of Man. In 2024, I declined a request by Manx Radio to discuss the rise of antisemitism in the Isle of Man on air. Because I had faith in the fundamental goodness of Manx Government institutions, I reported various incidents of antisemitism directly to the relevant authorities.

Clueit’s appointment to Tynwald makes me think previous efforts to raise and report concerns privately is insufficient. I think the people of the Isle of Man deserve to learn the truth so that action can be taken to reform, repair, and rehabilitate our communal institutions.

I no longer believe that keeping quiet about the rise of antisemitism on the Isle of Man is best for the people of the Isle of Man – for either Jews or non-Jews. It needs to be investigated comprehensively, independently and publicly. Action is needed.

Nine examples of antisemitism

I have compiled a file containing nine examples of what I believe are antisemitic statements by GClueit. This document is the basis of my opinion that antisemitic statements were made via the GClueit account. These examples represent only a sample of the material I have reviewed.

These include statements made by GClueit, which in my opinion:

• Call for physical attacks on Jews
• Accuse Jews of exploiting the Holocaust
• Accuse Jews of controlling society through money
• Make an accusation of a Jew in public life of having dual loyalties
• Tries to justify the mass rape and barbaric treatment of Jews on 7 October 2023
• Accuse Jews of controlling and owning British and American politicians

This document summarises some of the evidence obtained from the specific records available to me. I think there needs to be a comprehensive, independent and public investigation to evaluate every incident. This should include all statements that have been removed from public view.

IOM politicians were told

In October 2023, Clueit was a member of the Isle of Man Government’s Housing and Communities Board, which David Ashford chaired at the time. Soon after antisemitic posts from GClueit were published in the wake of the Hamas invasion of Israel on 7 October 2023, Ashford was alerted.

In an email at that time, Ashford wrote:

Thank you for contacting us and sharing the tweets which I do find concerning…[I] am equally concerned about this matter and spoke briefly with the Chief Minister about it yesterday. It certainly warrants further investigation and I can assure you that I will be discussing it further with the Chief Minister to ascertain what appropriate course of action can be taken.
Email from David Ashford to Michael Josem, 17 October 2023

Despite my report, it remains unclear what actions have been taken. This, in my view, raises further questions about accountability. The people of the Isle of Man and the Tynwald now deserve to see the results of the “further investigation” that Ashford promised in October 2023.

Clueit’s term of office as a Housing and Communities Board member was due to conclude in the summer of 2024. According to Clueit’s CV, which was submitted as part of his candidacy to the Legislative Council, Clueit remains a Housing and Communities Board member. This implies that Clueit was reappointed to the board after Ashford was notified of the statements.

On 13 February 2025, Ashford was reminded by email of the various statements by GClueit.

Similary, MHK for Ramsey, Lawrie Hooper, was notified of various antisemitic statements by GClueit on 10 October and 15 October 2023. Hooper was also reminded via messages on WhatsApp in February 2025.

Other people have informed me that they have raised analogous reports to various Manx politicians.

IOM Constabulary was told

Over the last 18 months, complying with the public advice of the Isle of Man Constabulary, I have reported a number of non-hate crime incidents to the police. These non-crime hate incidents have largely related to the targeting of Jews and myself in the Isle of Man. These include various non-crime hate incidents that have been allegedly committed by people in the Isle of Man. Those reports were made in compliance with the private and confidential reporting system of the Isle of Man Constabulary.

I reported non-crime hate incidents which I believe were allegedly perpetrated by GClueit. Reports allegedly involving GClueit were made to the Isle of Man Constabulary on 10 October 2023, 29 April 2024, and 15 May 2024.

Further, the investigation of antisemitism in the Isle of Man needs to investigate why the Isle of Man Constabulary’s Inclusion and Scrutiny Committee has failed to convene after 7 October 2023. It should investigate the vacancy in the chairing of the committee, and why no meetings were held, despite enquiries to the Isle of Man Constabulary throughout 2024.

As part of the selection process for the Legislative Council, the public needs to learn if the Isle of Man Constabulary provided background checks on the candidates to Tynwald. Were the various non-crime hate incidents properly reported by the Isle of Man Constabulary to Tynwald when Tynwald considered the candidates?

Private organisations were told; they took action

Soon after complaints first arose on social media about the posts by GClueit in October 2023, Clueit’s role as a Director of the Isle of Man Children’s Centre concluded. Further, he ended his office bearer role in the Manx Labour Party, and there is no longer any public reference to his role in the Manx Greens Party.

His candidacy papers for the 2023 Legislative Council elections include documentation of his role as an office bearer for the Manx Labour Party, the Manx Greens Party, and the Isle of Man Children’s Centre. However, those positions are not included in his 2025 candidacy papers, which declare that his political affiliation is now “Independent.” Why were those positions removed from his public papers?

It appears that private non-government organisations took action here, but the Isle of Man Government failed to do so. Why? I think we need a comprehensive, independent, and public investigation.

Hope for the future

I am hopeful that a comprehensive, independent, and public investigation will be able to get to the bottom of this matter.

In the first case, it is my opinion that the good people of the Isle of Man will join to fight antisemitism in our community. I hope drawing public attention to these issues will help. I believe sunlight will be the best disinfectant. The people of the Isle of Man should know the full facts of this case.

In the second case, it is my view the politicians who have brought this into our Tynwald should be held accountable by the people of the Isle of Man at the next opportunity.