Candidate for Douglas East · Announced 6 July 2026
Quids Inn owner Andrew Saunders to stand for election.
AI-generated summary from all available evidence sources
Andrew Saunders is standing as an independent in Douglas East, bringing the perspective of a local business owner and Licensed Victuallers Association member. His published priorities are limited but clear: he wants to support young families, support small Manx businesses, and improve health and social care. He also argues that the Island has been “losing its way under recent administrations,” presenting himself as a practical corrective rather than a party politician.
On the evidence available, Saunders appears to favour a modestly pro-business, community-oriented approach. His background in hospitality suggests he may be sympathetic to the pressures facing local employers, especially around costs, staffing, and regulation. His emphasis on young families implies concern about affordability and service quality, though he has not yet set out a detailed housing, childcare, or education platform.
The main weakness in his current offer is specificity. He has not yet explained how he would tackle housing costs, transport reliability, the Steam Packet issue, waiting times at Noble’s Hospital, or the Island’s digital and environmental challenges. As a first-time candidate, he will need to turn broad intentions into practical, costed proposals if he wants to persuade voters that he can deliver in Tynwald.
Saunders says he wants to support small Manx businesses and speaks from the perspective of a local pub owner and Licensed Victuallers Association member. That suggests a pro-enterprise, lightly pro-business approach rather than a detailed tax or spending platform.
He has not set out how he would balance business support with the Treasury’s limited fiscal room, or whether he favours lower business costs, tax changes, or regulatory reform.
His stated priority is improving the Island’s health and social care offering, which points to a mildly interventionist, service-improvement stance. However, no specifics are given on Noble’s Hospital waiting times, recruitment, or how he would fund improvements.
This is a broad promise without detail. Voters should ask what he would do on staffing, waiting lists, and whether he supports more spending, reorganisation, or private-sector partnerships.
He says he wants to support young families, which likely implies concern about housing affordability and access, especially in Douglas East. But there is no published detail on whether he backs planning reform, social housing, or measures to increase supply.
There is no evidence of a concrete housing policy. He should clarify whether he would support faster planning approvals, higher-density development, or public investment in affordable homes.
His emphasis on supporting young families suggests some concern for education and child-related services, but he has not set out any specific education proposals. There is no evidence yet of a position on school places, SEND provision, or childcare costs.
This area is largely unaddressed. If he wants to help young families, he should explain what he would do about childcare affordability, school capacity, and support for additional needs.
The available material does not show a substantive environmental platform. His personal interests in sea life and SCUBA may indicate awareness of the marine environment, but that is not the same as a policy position.
He has not said whether he supports stronger climate action, coastal protection, or biodiversity measures. Given the Island’s exposure to climate and marine pressures, this is a notable omission.
No direct transport policy is provided. For Douglas East voters, this leaves unanswered questions on buses, parking, active travel, and wider connectivity issues such as the Steam Packet’s impact on fares and reliability.
He has not addressed one of the Island’s biggest practical issues: transport affordability and resilience. Voters should ask whether he would back reform of the Steam Packet monopoly and better public transport.
There is no evidence of a digital economy or digital services policy. That means no stated position on broadband, e-government, cyber resilience, or support for digital businesses.
This omission matters because digital capacity is central to diversification and public service delivery on the Isle of Man. He should explain whether he sees digital as a priority and how he would support it.
No immigration or population policy is stated. That leaves unclear whether he has views on work permits, skills shortages, or the balance between labour supply and local housing pressure.
The Island’s labour market and housing pressures are closely linked to migration and work-permit policy, but he has not addressed this. Any position should be specific and evidence-based.
His focus on young families and small businesses implies concern about the cost of living, but he has not identified any concrete measures such as energy bills, food costs, rent, or tax relief. The promise is therefore more rhetorical than operational.
He should explain which costs he would target and what levers he believes Tynwald can actually use, given that many prices are driven by external markets and monopoly structures.
Saunders says the Island has been 'losing its way under recent administrations' and frames his candidacy as a corrective, which suggests a reformist and somewhat anti-establishment outlook. However, he has not specified which institutions or policies he would change, or how he would work in Tynwald without party discipline.
The critique of 'recent administrations' is broad and not yet backed by a programme. He should identify the specific governance failures he wants to fix and how he would build support as an independent.
AI-generated questions based on the candidate's manifesto, policy positions, public statements, and gaps in their platform — grounded in Isle of Man data.
You say you want to support young families: what specific measures would you back on housing, childcare, and school capacity in Douglas East, and how would you pay for them within the Isle of Man’s constrained budget?
As a small business owner, what concrete changes would you make to help Manx businesses—lower business rates, simpler regulation, energy-cost support, or something else—and what evidence do you have that your preferred approach would work?
You want to improve health and social care, but Noble’s Hospital already faces pressure on waiting times and staffing. Would you prioritise more spending, workforce recruitment, or service redesign, and where would the money come from?
You’ve criticised 'recent administrations' for the Island 'losing its way'—which specific policies or decisions do you think were wrong, and what would you do differently in Tynwald?
Douglas East residents are affected by transport costs, parking, and bus reliability. Do you have a position on reforming the Steam Packet’s monopoly, improving public transport, or expanding active travel?
The Island’s housing shortage is a major driver of cost of living and recruitment problems. Do you support faster planning approvals and higher-density development, even where that may face local opposition?
You have not set out any digital economy policy. Would you support stronger broadband investment, e-government reform, and support for digital start-ups as part of diversifying the Manx economy?
Given your role in hospitality, how will you avoid conflicts of interest if Tynwald debates alcohol licensing, hospitality regulation, or support for the sector?
All scores, summaries, and questions are AI-generated from public evidence.They do not imply wrongdoing.
Every source used in the AI analysis, linked and timestamped.
Stated policy positions (research pack)
candidate-research-pack## Stated policy positions Primary source: [Manx Radio 2026 candidate profile](https://www.manxradio.com/election-2026/election-candidates/andrew-saunders/). The following is candidate-supplied profile material published by Manx Radio; it should not be treated as independent verification. - Andrew Saunders - Andy is an independent candidate and he's standing in Douglas East. - He's the owner of Quids Inn and also a member of the Licensed Victuallers Association. - He has two children, and this is his first time standing for election. - In his spare time, Andy enjoys golfing, SCUBA, Manx sea life and spending time with his grandkids. - Andy says: " I feel deeply that our wonderful Island has been losing its way under recent administrations and that this is the time when I must put myself and my ideas to improve the Island, and Douglas East, forward. - " It will be my principle to take every choice with the main thought in my mind being 'Will this decision make the Island and the lives of the Manx residents better?' " - We asked each candidate to tell us what their priorities would be if elected. - Andy chose supporting young families, supporting small Manx businesses, and improving our health and social care offering.
News coverage and public record
candidate-research-pack## News coverage and public record - **Manx.News:** [Saunders to Contest Douglas East](https://www.manx.news/saunders-to-contest-douglas-east/) — The owner of Quids Inn has declared his intention to stand in September’s General Election. Andrew Saunders, will stand in Douglas East and says the island has been “losing its way under recent administrations”. Mr Saunders outlined four
