Former Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan was elected Chief Minister in a special sitting of the House of Keys on Tuesday.

He is now imminently expected to make his choices for the new Council of Ministers in the coming days.

Mr Cannan won the top job with 14 votes, to his opponent Dr Alex Allinson’s eight.

For the first time, the chief minister was chosen only by MHKs. In the past Members of the Legislative Council could vote too.

Taking over from Howard Quayle, who is retiring from politics, Mr Cannan is now expected to hold the government’s top job for at least the next five years.

He was proposed for the role by Douglas East MHK Clare Barber and Peel and Glenfaba MHK Kate-Lord Brennan.

In his victory speech he told the house: ’I’d like to thank my proposer and seconder for their extremely kind remarks, for which I am extremely grateful.

’And I’m also extremely grateful to the many honourable members who have taken the time to speak to me over the past week or so, and expressed their views both on what they are seeking from a chief minister, but also their views about how they thought government should be shaped in the future.

’And indeed I look forward to working with all honourable members in the coming days to firm up our plans.

He then thanked Dr Allinson for his ’professional manner and the considerations he’s given’ during the short campaign, and wished him well for the future.

Mr Cannan continued: ’I accept this role with humility but also with a strong sense of purpose, to harness the collective will and determination of all members to do the very best for our island.

’I look forward to working with everybody to bring forward the best policies and drive the government to ultimately deliver and succeed, and build a secure and sustainable and vibrant island for the future.’

The only Keys business which followed the vote was a series of questions posed to the new Chief Minister by Chris Thomas, asking him his stance or various things such as the transitioning of the minimum wage to the living wage, and rates modernisation.

Mr Cannan, who appeared bemused, answered each one with words to the effect that it would be the business of the new government and addressed as soon as it could be looked at.

The special sitting of the House of Keys also saw Garff MHK Daphne Caine elected Deputy Speaker of the Keys, winning with 14 votes to her opponent Clare Christian’s 10.

All MHKs were in attendance, except for Onchan MHK Julie Edge who dialled in and voted virtually, because she was ill.

In the follow-up vote to confirm Mr Cannan as Chief Minister, three members voted against.

They were Douglas North’s new member, John Wannenburgh and both Manx Labour Party members Joney Faragher and Sarah Maltby. The Labour members said that it was an individual decision because they wanted to stick by their vote for Dr Allinson.

There is now speculation as to who Mr Cannan will pick as ministers for his cabinet.

With four ministers losing their seats in the general election - and Howard Quayle retiring and Laurence Skelly moving to become President of Tynwald, there will definitely be some new faces in Council of Ministers, the body that oversees government and implementation of policy.

However, it would be a reasonable prediction to think that David Ashford, having voted for Mr Cannan and having been health minister throughout the pandemic, may either keep this role or be given another ministerial position.

As for Dr Allinson, the new Chief Minister could extend him an olive branch and reappoint him as education minister in order to keep the department in a safe pair of hands.

Mr Cannan’s proposer and seconder, Clare Barber and Kate Lord Brennan, could be tipped as favourites, with the latter having legislative experience as a former MLC.

Likewise there is Jane Poole Wilson, who also has MLC experience.

With Mr Cannan leaving his Treasury role vacant, this will be one of the most interesting to watch and see who he chooses as his replacement.

The only others among the current crop of MHKs who have former ministerial experience are Chris Thomas and Tim Crookall, making them reasonable guesses for one of the new Council of Ministers jobs by virtue of this.

However, Mr Thomas told Manx Radio he would be happy on the back benches.

The MHKs who voted Cannan were: David Ashford, Clare Barber, Rob Callister, Alfred Cannan, Ann Corlett, Tim Crookall, Julie Edge, Tim Glover, Tim Johnston, Kate Lord-Brennan, Jason Moorhouse, Stu Peters, Jane Poole-Wilson and Andrew Smith.

Those who voted Allinson were: Daphne Caine, Claire Christian, Joney Faragher, Michelle Haywood, Lawrie Hooper, Sarah Maltby and Juan Watterson.

Two members spoilt their ballots.

They were Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas and Douglas North MHK John Wannenburgh.

In a post on social media Mr Wannenburgh shared a quotation which said: ’There is no such thing as freedom of choice unless there is freedom to refuse.’