Simon Williams

With lots of preparation already taking place, including meeting with various bodies and people who play a part in our Rushen community, it’s been a busy few months for me. I’ve recently visited most of the local businesses within Rushen and in the south of the island to introduce myself and let them know that I’ve put my name forward to stand as a candidate in the upcoming House of Keys General Election.

It’s now time to start making my way around the parish, knocking on doors and standing on your doorsteps to meet you face-to-face. I want to hear your concerns and frustrations; if elected, it is this information that I will carry with me into the House of Keys and Tynwald. I want to represent you, be your voice as one of your MHKs, and make sure your concerns are heard.

I will be leaving a leaflet and business card containing all my contact information. If I miss you, please let me know via email or WhatsApp how you see your future here on the Isle of Man and within Rushen.

I’ve always admired and cherished the beauty of our “Sunny South.” Over the years, I’ve taken hundreds, if not thousands, of photos of what I consider beauty unparalleled, all right here on our doorstep. All of my leaflets, cards, and my manifesto will only contain photographs of Rushen that I have taken myself over the last 15 years. Hopefully, you will recognise many of these places, from the Port St Mary High Street flags to Cronk ny Arrey Laa, and from Port Erin beach to the Chicken Rock Lighthouse. I hope you enjoy the pictures I publish.

I look forward to the coming months of this election campaign and to meeting as many of you as possible. I ask for your support and encourage you to play an active part in this election; please do not let your silence be your only contribution.

I’ve had an interesting and varied career that started early in life. As children, we spent a lot of time playing and helping at Glashen and Crossag Farms in Ballasalla, running cattle from Dirty Dick’s in Santon back through to Ballasalla on the then not so busy main road, stacking bales, and catching sheep for shearing. At just 10 years old, I took myself along to Peaches Nursery in Castletown and got a Saturday job cleaning the greenhouses and watering plants. I still have an avid interest in greenhouse gardening to this day.

I spent the summer holidays working at the Kodak shop on Queen’s Promenade in Douglas with my grandmother. I remember getting my first ever pay packet and giving half to my mum as house rent, even though I was only about 11 or 12. I also worked the many summer markets in Castletown, Douglas, and at the Railway Station car park in Port Erin, and I was proud that I could sell more Manx tea towels than anyone else. I also worked at the very popular Whitestone Leisure Supplies in Ballasalla, and spent many weekends and school holidays with my father splitting slate for the many Manx stone walls he built around the island.

I left Castle Rushen at 15, and my first full time job was at Litts in East Baldwin as a slaughterman. It was a dirty, smelly, and, for most, stomach turning job. From there, I went to work at Corrin Brothers Farm at Ballaglonney by the Fairy Bridge. I really enjoyed the general farm work, though the big Friesian bull never liked me!

After farm work, I tried my hand at the Ronaldsway Shoe Factory, working the hot lasts and making slippers for M&S. From there, I joined the Manx Electricity Authority, where I assisted the linesmen and jointers before progressing into the power stations. I was trained in running the Ramsey, Peel, and Pulrose Power Stations. Following an accident at the power station, I was lucky to find myself with the opportunity to train as a tattooist here on the island. It was a career that truly caught my imagination. From my early days helping out in studios, I began tattooing, which led to working on the UK and European tattoo circuit, and eventually as far afield as Norway and Canada.

Once the excitement of travel had worn off, I settled into running my business, Manx Tattoo Ltd, with my first studio on Wellington Street in Douglas, before moving 15 years ago to the main part of Douglas High Street at the Castle Street end of town.

I’m very proud of how my company has survived and grown over the years. I’ve managed to work through and overcome the many challenges the industry has faced. My VAT-registered business helps to support four local families and possibly more if I am elected, as I will step back from tattooing (other than on a hobby basis) to keep my ear to the ground and stay in touch with how real, ordinary people are dealing with modern life and how they feel government is treating them. My business attracts people from all walks of life, and their opinions are important and valuable in assessing how government policies directly affect them.

I’m not afraid of hard work, in fact, I’ve always sought it out. I prefer to keep busy, and I enjoy a challenge. I would see being one of the representatives for Rushen as the most important role of my life. I believe I can give the people of Rushen, as well as the wider public of the Isle of Man, a strong voice in the House of Keys and Tynwald.

I’ve always had a strong interest in how our Island is governed. Over the years, I’ve connected with local MHKs to share my views on government decisions, because I believe it’s the people of the Isle of Man who must guide their representatives. MHKs need to understand how their constituents feel in order to make decisions that truly reflect the wishes of the electorate.

I’ve attended many government seminars, listened, asked questions, and taken part in discussions. I was at the very first Roamin’ Comin’ meetings twenty years ago, when the government warned that funding for pensions, healthcare, and other vital services could run out within twenty years, which brings us to today. From attending these meetings and seeing how few others did, I’ve often wondered whether people are content with how things are run, or whether there’s simply a growing disinterest in our political life.

I’ll be the first to admit that giving your vote to me as one of your new Rushen MHKs won’t turn the Island on its head overnight. I won’t promise sweeping change. What I will promise is to play my part, to listen, to share your views and ideas with fellow MHKs and civil servants, and to ensure that your voices are heard in the decisions that shape our future.

I believe in learning by doing. I will work closely with other elected members to improve the position of Rushen and the Isle of Man as a whole. I’ll take on board the opinions you share with me and use them to help make decisions that best reflect your wishes.

Throughout my career, I’ve always been committed to learning and self-improvement. My apprenticeship taught me that practical skills are only part of success, you also need to connect, collaborate, and communicate effectively with others in your field. I’ll take that same approach as your MHK: open, engaged, and always learning.

I will learn by doing, I will listen to you, and I will represent the people of Rushen to the very best of my ability.

I caught my first fish when I was barely 18 months old, a small brown trout in the Colby River and from that moment, I was hooked.

It’s a passion I’ve held for over 55 years; my escape from everything else.

Fishing has taught me that solitude can clear the mind. It can take hours, days, weeks, or even months to catch that elusive fish and in doing so, I’ve learned patience.

It’s also taught me commitment and dedication: to keep trying, to keep that line in the water, to make that bite happen.

I’ve been fortunate to fish not only here on the island but around the world, from Africa to the Arctic, casting from volcanic cliffs and living in jungles just to get close to my quarry.

Those experiences, meeting and mixing with other cultures, have made me value my own even more. As unique as the people and places I’ve encountered have been, we too are unique. We have our own culture and traditions, all of which are deeply important and must be cherished and protected.

If I am successful in becoming your MHK for Rushen, I guarantee I will always have the best interests of Rushen and the Isle of Man at heart.

365 days from today there will be a general election on the Island & I hope that you, after getting to know me better will be able to give me one of your votes to represent the constituents of Rushen & the people of the Isle of Man as a Member of the House of Keys.

Today I notified the press & the Crown & Election Teams of my intention to stand.

Press Release

For Immediate Release – 24th September 2025

Simon Williams to Stand for House of Keys 2026 Election in the Parish of Rushen

Port Erin, Isle of Man – Today I, Simon Williams of Port Erin, am announcing my intention to stand as a candidate for the House of Keys in the parish of Rushen.

Over the next year, I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible, introducing myself properly, and listening to what matters most to our community.

My hope is that, on the 24th of September 2026, I will earn your trust and the chance to represent Rushen in the House of Keys. 

If given that opportunity, I promise to serve the people of Rushen and the Isle of Man as a whole to the very best of my ability.

For further information, please contact:

[simonwilliams@manx.net]

From the earliest days of my childhood, the coastline of the Isle of Man has been my constant teacher. The cliffs, the coves, and the changing moods of the Irish Sea have shaped who I am. Growing up in Rushen and the South, spending so much of my youth along the coastline & beaches, I learned quickly that the sea demands respect. One moment calm and inviting, the next wild and unforgiving, it showed me resilience long before I understood the word.

The tide itself was a lesson in patience and inevitability. No matter what, it came and went. I remember sitting on the beach, watching the waves creep forward and retreat, and realising that nothing ever stays the same. Change is natural, and to live on an island is to accept it, even welcome it. That understanding has stayed with me in my life, my family & my work, you adapt, you bend, you move with the current, but you never forget your footing on the shore.

Now, as I look out across Port Erin Bay, I see not just a view but a story, my story, shaped by tides, winds, and the salt in the air. The sea has taught me resilience, adaptability, and above all, a sense of belonging. For me, island identity isn’t something abstract; it’s in every crashing wave, every sunset and every calm horizon. It’s knowing that whatever happens Rushen & Port Erin will always be home.

Welcome to My Blog

Hello, and welcome! My name is Simon Williams, and I’m excited to share a little about myself and why I’d like the chance to serve the people of Rushen.

I was born on the Isle of Man in 1968 and grew up right here in Rushen. My childhood was filled with simple pleasures — skimming stones in the Colby River, dipping toes in Bay ny Carrickey, and spending long summer days on Port Erin Beach. Like many before me, I tried (and failed!) to dam the little river that runs onto the sand at the bottom of Strand Road Hill. Half a century later, I gave it another go — this time with my grandson, Declan — and the tide still won. Some things never change!

Over the coming year, I’ll be using this blog to share my thoughts, experiences, and hopes for our parish. My aim is simple: to give you a clear picture of who I am and why I believe I can represent Rushen as one of your MHKs.

I hope you’ll enjoy following along, and I look forward to earning your trust.