VIP tickets for the TT, a bottle of Bushmills whiskey, biscuits, table mats and a motorbike helmet inscribed with a Manx motto from the Crown Prince of Bahrain.

These are some of the gifts given to Alfred Cannan since he became Chief Minister in 2021.

None of them have been declared in his Tynwald register of members’ interests - but he has insisted that he didn’t need to.

MHKs and MLCs have a duty to declare all interests including gifts and benefits in kind which might be taken to affect the way an elected representative may vote or carry out their public duties.

Under the Ministerial Code, it is a well-established and recognised rule that no Minister or civil servant should accept gifts, hospitality or services from anyone which would, or might appear to, place him or her under an obligation.

Advocate Ian Kermode wrote to the Chief Minister after discovering that the Ayre and Michael MHK had made no new entries to register of interests since September 2016.

Mr Cannan replied that every one of his attendances at functions, lunches and hospitality events as well as all gifts received in the last eight years are exempt from inclusion on the register.

But Mr Kermode said that is a matter open to interpretation and pointed out that by way of contrast Treasury Minister Dr Alex Allinson, on his register of interests, has explicitly particularises all gifts and every benefit in kind he has received as a government minister up to June 7 this year.

These include his attendance at Media Isle of Man’s Awards for Excellence dinners and free tickets to the TT Mercury Hospitality Club.

In his response to Mr Kermode, the Chief Minister wrote: ‘For the absolute avoidance of doubt, I have never received gifts or benefits in kind from public sources of any amount which might be taken to affect the way I vote or otherwise carry out public duties.’

He nevertheless attached a list of gifts he had received in his capacity as Chief Minister.

This shows the motorbike helmet from the Crown Prince of Bahrain is valued at about £700 while a chalice presented by the Bahraini Ambassador is worth about £60.

Mr Cannan was invited to visit the Gulf state by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in 2022, after he came to the island that year to watch the TT races.

The bottle of Bushmills whiskey together with a Galway crystal decanter and set of whiskey stones, presented by a Summerland fire survivor is valued at £335 while the Chief Minister also received complimentary Mercury Club ticket for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 TTs with a total value of £3,600.

A collection of table placemats gifted by a delegation from the Philippines is worth about £50 and the biscuits from Dr Khan, a thank you for donating to the Pakistan Flood Appeal, cost about £15.

In the register of interests, Mr Cannan has declared his directorship of McKenzie Fox Ltd.