Julia Bell is standing as a candidate for
Ayre & Michael
JULIA BELL
Mother | Nurse | Psychological Therapist | Dyslexia Advocate
Hello, I’m Julia Bell. I am delighted to announce that I am standing for the House of Keys General Election 2026. I am a mother, a Mental Health Nurse, and a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. I am also a proven advocate for people with dyslexia.
My interest in Manx politics began in 2020 when I submitted my first Petition of Redress to Tynwald, calling for better identification and support for young people with dyslexia in education. Although progress initially stalled following a change in administration, I remained committed to achieving meaningful change.
In 2024, I submitted a second Petition of Redress, and founded the Dyslexia Advocacy Group IOM.
I presented detailed evidence to Tynwald Members, leading to a unanimous vote to establish a Select Committee. My work has already delivered system-wide improvements for thousands of children.
My petition was described as “perfect”. I was encouraged to stand for the Legislative Council in 2025. Although I was not elected, several Members of the House of Keys encouraged me to stand in the General Election 2026, noting that my strengths lie in representation, policy, and delivering change. That experience strengthened my belief that I can best serve the Island through the House of Keys.
I am standing in the 2026 General Election because I believe I am well-suited to serve — not only due to the encouragement of others, but also because I want to build on what I have already delivered as a public advocate, this time from within Tynwald.
I cannot promise to deliver every idea I support — meaningful change requires a majority support within Tynwald. However, collaboration and relationship-building are among my greatest strengths and were central to the success of the dyslexia campaign. I can promise evidence-based decision-making, listening to my constituents, and persevering to achieve change. I am renowned for persevering long after others give up. I hope my work on dyslexia demonstrates my credibility and commitment.
“You are amazing Julia, so right-minded and tenacious. You have achieved what so many before you have failed to manage. Heartfelt thank you”Chrissie Watson, Dyslexia Expert and Retired Teacher
Helping people and making a positive difference has been a consistent theme throughout my life. I have raised significant amounts for charity and have volunteered for a range of charitable causes. For example, I raised £7,000 by completing the 85-mile Parish Walk, and £3,500 by climbing Kilimanjaro. I also volunteered at Age Concern in Peel when it was still running, making tea and coffee and playing board games and chatting with residents who attended. I have also sponsored a child in Bulgaria, whom I visited, and I regularly participate in beach-cleaning initiatives.
I became a nurse, and later a psychotherapist, because of my passion for helping others. I now want to take that commitment a step further by contributing at a population level, helping to shape decisions that improve the lives of people across our community.
Outside of helping others I value looking after my own health and well-being by exercising and eating healthily. I also value getting out in nature. I enjoy hiking, running, kayaking, rock climbing, sea swimming, yoga, and meditation.
Raising a child with Special Educational Needs in our current education system is a battle. I know, because it is my lived experience. A fair education system is one that adapts to children, not the other way round. The current system is not working for all children and young people — particularly those who are neurodiverse, experiencing mental health difficulties, or who do not fit a traditional academic model.
If elected, I will support:
Manx Care faces significant challenges, including pressure on hospital services, workforce shortages, long waiting times, cuts to service delivery, and increasing demand. Patients deserve accessible, high-quality healthcare that is sustainable, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the Island.
If elected, I will support:
I have broad experience in mental health. I have worked across primary, secondary and tertiary services in both hospital and community settings, supporting adults and older people. Increased investment in services has been welcomed and has delivered tangible improvements, including reduced waiting times for psychological therapies for both children and adults and the introduction of a single point of referral for children through the Talk Service. However, further work is needed as the demand for mental health services remains high. The Tynwald Youth Select Committee cites mental health care as one of the most relevant topics to young people on the Isle of Man and more than 6% of the Island’s population is either in receipt of services or waiting for support. The World Health Organization estimates a global suicide rate of 9–10 per 100,000; the Isle of Man’s 2023 rate of around 16.5 per 100,000 is notably higher than both UK and global averages, reflecting real lives and families affected across the Island. Suicide prevention is therefore a public health priority, and strengthening early intervention and prevention would improve mental health outcomes at a population level.
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Ensuring health professionals have up-to-date knowledge across the female life span will improve outcomes, enhance patient care, and reduce long-standing inequalities.
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Having worked for the Older Persons Mental Health Service, I have seen firsthand how the current system for funding residential and nursing care is expensive and unfair. This issue was highlighted by the Select Committee on the Funding of Nursing Homes (2015), yet, more than a decade later, the funding model remains unchanged. The Nursing, Residential and Home Care Report (2026) highlighted the significant cost of care, estimated at around £65,000 per year. Moreover, there is a ‘cliff edge’ between those who receive their care free of charge through means-testing and those who are required to exhaust their savings and, in many cases, sell their home to fund their care. The current structure of Social Security benefits creates financial disincentives for many people who wish to remain at home, encouraging some to move into care homes when they could continue living independently with the right package of support. This approach is inconsistent with the Government’s commitment to shifting care back into the community, a direction identified in the Independent Health and Social Care Review (2019) as beginning in 2011. Community-based care is often more cost-effective, aligns better with people’s preferences, promotes independence, improves satisfaction, and can deliver better health outcomes.
If elected, I will support:
The Tynwald Youth Select Committee represented the voices of young people aged 15–24. Committee Members identified housing as the main issue affecting young people. The housing crisis on the Isle of Man is increasingly characterised by rising property prices and limited supply, making it difficult for first-time buyers to enter the market. The average house price is now almost £400,000, around eight times the average annual wage and almost eleven times the average annual income of 18–25-year-olds.
In 2023, 43% of young people who did not intend to return to the Island cited a lack of affordable housing as their main reason, underlining its importance to retaining young people and attracting new talent. High housing costs are contributing to the out-migration of young people and making it more difficult to recruit skilled workers from overseas.
As a parent, I share the widespread concern about whether the next generation will be able to afford a home. As a healthcare professional, I also see firsthand how the housing crisis is affecting recruitment and the long-term sustainability of essential public services.
If the visions of Our Island Plan and the Economic Strategy are to be achieved, we need more homes and a much greater diversity of property types.
If elected, I will support:
My interest in addressing the challenges of an ageing population is strongly influenced by working in a Dementia Specialist Service at Older Persons Mental Health Service, a role I found highly rewarding. However, this experience also gave me insight into the increasing demand an ageing population places on health and social care services, and the pressures this creates for service delivery and sustainability.
The ageing population is growing because the birth rate is falling and it is difficult to retain and attract young people and families to the Isle of Man. In 2025, the number of births in the Isle of Man was the lowest in over 100 years. Several reasons have been suggested, including that fewer women of childbearing age now live on the Island, while those who do are choosing to have fewer, or no, children, perhaps because of the cost of housing, childcare, and the general cost of living. If we do not take action to increase the number of births on the Isle of Man and attract and retain more young people and families, our ageing population will continue to grow. Currently, only 49% of the population is in work and, as the average age continues to rise, the number of working people will continue to fall.
If we do not rebalance our ageing population, then funding public services, social security benefits, and pensions, will become increasingly unsustainable.
If elected, I will support:
Since the introduction of the Worker Migrant visa route in 2018, immigration by foreign nationals to the Isle of Man has increased. The Worker (Seasonal) Migrant route, which operated for a short period, was vulnerable to abuse. Immigration must be well managed, lawful, and in the best interests of the Island. Those who come here and later become citizens should have the skills and commitment to make a positive contribution to our economy and society.
I welcome the changes to the Isle of Man visa route that came into effect on 1 June 2026. These reforms ensure that overseas workers qualify through either the Skilled Worker List or the Occupational Shortage List and meet minimum salary thresholds. The new labour market test requires employers to recruit locally and within the Common Travel Area before seeking workers internationally. The new Immigration Employer Compliance Policy requires both the business and the role to be genuine. The Government’s commitment to strengthen visa routes over the next three years and reduce abuse of the immigration system must be fully implemented.
Immigration is essential if we are to address three significant demographic challenges: a declining birth rate, the continuing loss of young people, and an ageing population. Well-managed immigration will reduce the dependency ratio by increasing the number of economically active residents and help fill skills and occupational shortages.
If elected, I will support:
I am passionate about reducing the harms associated with substance misuse. Some years ago I gained sponsorship to visit San Patrignano in Italy. San Patrignano is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading therapeutic communities for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. I learnt firsthand what they do and why it works, and I presented my findings to drug and alcohol services on the Isle of Man.
Organised crime groups target the Island because illicit drugs can command significantly higher prices than in neighbouring jurisdictions. There needs to be an increased focus on the detection of criminals before they enter the Island.
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The Criminal Justice System was independently reviewed in 2011 and 2023. Safety, Respect, Purposeful Activity, and Rehabilitation were assessed. In both reviews, Purposeful Activity and Rehabilitation were rated as ‘not sufficiently good’ or ‘poor’. The 2024 Independent Review of the Criminal Justice System found significant improvements in safety but continued to identify concerns regarding rehabilitation and reintegration. There has been little meaningful improvement in rehabilitation and reintegration over more than a decade, despite a strategy committing to reform. The 2024 review also concluded that more must be done to address the underlying causes of offending, and to support prisoners in reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
Greater support must also be provided to protect victims, ensuring they receive timely information directly from the relevant authorities rather than through the media. In addition, delays in progressing cases through the courts and reaching final verdicts remain a concern.
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Public transport in Ayre & Michael is often unreliable and inconvenient, limiting its use and increasing road congestion and rural isolation. Many rural roads are in poor condition, with potholes, narrow lanes, and safety concerns.
The cost and reliability of air and sea travel also remain major issues for residents and businesses. The Isle of Man Government owns the Steam Packet Company because of its strategic importance to the Island. However, it has failed to use that ownership to deliver broader economic benefits.
Constituents have raised concerns that the cost of travelling on and off the Isle of Man, and the cost of transportation of goods, are extremely high.
If elected, I will support:
Many homes on the Isle of Man rely on heating oil, leaving households vulnerable to global events — such as conflict in the Middle East — which can drive up prices and create uncertainty of supply. This particularly affects vulnerable residents.
If elected, I will support:
The Climate Change Act requires future governments to continue making meaningful progress in reducing carbon emissions to achieve net zero. Climate change is already impacting weather extremes, food security, public health, biodiversity, and our economy. Reducing our carbon footprint is an investment in the health and well-being of our community and is vital to delivering the ambitions of Our Island, Our Future: Isle of Man Economic Strategy.
The Isle of Man is not getting the basics right. Our rates system does not incentivise reducing water use or household waste, as the charge remains the same whether residents are careful with resources or not. Recycling is also disincentivised because it can be inconvenient, time-consuming, and, for many, incurs a charge for kerbside collection. In many European countries recycling is free, while residual waste is charged by weight or volume. The Isle of Man has the lowest recycling rate of all surrounding jurisdictions, including Jersey and Guernsey, highlighting the need for a system here that better rewards sustainable behaviour.
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Without a successful economy it is not possible to deliver on aspirations, and services risk being cut. Over the last 10 years there has been a substantial reliance on reserves. Constituents have consistently raised concerns that taxpayers’ money is not used wisely and that Government does not deliver genuine value for money. Although the Government has committed to achieving at least £10 million in savings by the end of 2025/26 — and £50 million over five years — through its Efficiency Programme, many people remain unconvinced that progress has been sufficient.
The Economic Review Committee stated that, under the 2011 administration, the size and cost of the public sector were reduced through redundancies. The Committee recommended that Tynwald repeat this approach, arguing that the size and scope of Government must be reduced.
In addition, Our Island, Our Future: Isle of Man Economic Strategy has an objective to create and fill 5000 new jobs by 2032. The strategy should specify what counts as a job, what sectors, what skill levels, what salary bands, whether public or private, and whether net or gross job creation is intended. Without this, “5000 jobs” is not a meaningful metric.
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If I’m elected, I’ll be easy to reach, and I’ll hold regular political surgeries so people can speak to me directly. I am committed to understanding local concerns and representing them fairly. I will also work in partnership with Local Authorities. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be for members of the public to drive change. If elected, I will remember that experience, and work to make the system more responsive and accessible. The public should not have to fight so hard to be listened to!
The Isle of Man Government’s response to the Climate Change Risk and Opportunities Assessment states that it will continue to “protect heritage sites, such as old buildings and coastlines, especially those vulnerable to flooding and erosion” while a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy is developed. Coastal erosion is a significant issue in Kirk Michael, and cliff-climbing accelerates erosion while creating serious safety risks.
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The loss of essential services and amenities across Ayre & Michael has had a detrimental impact on community connection, independence, and the long-term sustainability of rural communities. The decline in local facilities may be contributing to reduced resident numbers. Kirk Michael experienced a 12% decrease in its resident population between 2011 and 2021, whilst Bride experienced a 10.5% decrease in its resident population during the same period (The Isle of Man Population Atlas 2). There has been improvement to the Bride Play Park which is now more accessible for children with disabilities. However, there remains a shortage of accessible facilities elsewhere in Ayre & Michael, limiting inclusion and equal participation in community life. Our Island Plan has a commitment to make the Island a more attractive place to live and work in, but this needs to be extended across Ayre & Michael.
If elected, I will support:
Farming and agriculture support food security, employment opportunities, hospitality, and food retail sectors. However, farmers are not supported enough, evidenced by the Manx National Farmers Union petition. Local food security is at risk, with unreliable supplies from Isle of Man meats, and some butchers have had to source meats from UK suppliers.
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The deadline to register to vote in the September House of Keys General Election is Tuesday 25 August 2026.
You can register if you:
If you cannot vote in person at a polling station, please contact me to arrange a postal vote, a home vote, or to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf.
Have a question about my policies, or need help arranging your vote? Get in touch directly, I read and reply to every message myself:
Email: juliabell2026@gmail.com
Mob: 07624 258304
Address: 17 Cleiy Rhennee, Kirk Michael, Isle of Man, IM6 1HT
Over the past six years, I have demonstrated vision, passion, and determination — delivering meaningful change. If elected, I will bring these same qualities to representing Ayre & Michael in the House of Keys. I will listen carefully to constituents, base decisions on evidence, and build positive relationships with others to work constructively to achieve practical improvements for the Isle of Man.
Please vote Julia Bell on Thursday 24 September 2026
Download the full manifesto (PDF)