That was how Speaker Steve Rodan summed up feelings in a grim-faced Tynwald after Chief Minister Tony Brown announced that his meeting with UK Health Secretary Andy Burnham had secured no change of heart over the reciprocal health deal.
Confirmation that the deal would definitely come to an end on April 1 came as no surprise. But there was anger over the UK Department of Health’s claim that it had been a ‘positive meeting which had strengthened ties with the Isle of Man’.
‘A patronising insult to our intelligence,’ was how Mr Rodan described it.
And there was disquiet, too, at the handling of the whole affair by the Manx Government. Peter Karran (Lib Vannin, Onchan) suggested ministers had appeared ‘servile’ and should have made greater efforts to resolve the situation. More.
American visitors probably travel on their international insurance but this change will have a dramatic effect on UK visitors to the IoM and vice versa.
