Chris Robertshaw
# Chris Robertshaw

Christopher Roy Robertshaw is an English-born Manx politician who served as Member of the House of Keys for Douglas East until August 2021. He previously served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys, Minister of Social Care, Minister for Community, Culture and Leisure and Minister for Policy and Reform.

## Early life

Robertshaw was born in 1948 in Chester, and is married with two children and five grandchildren.

He was schooled in a Roman Catholic seminary and served in the British Army in Libya, Cyprus, Germany, England and Norway. In 2005 he retired as Managing Director, Company Secretary and Registrar of Sefton Hotel Plc after a 35-year career in tourism. He is currently a director of the charity Kemmyrk and a member of the Douglas Regeneration Committee, of the Institute of Hospitality and of the Positive Action Group.

## Political career

In 2010, he replaced Phil Braidwood as MHK for Douglas East in a by-election, and was re-elected at the 2011 and 2016 general elections.

In 2015, he resigned as Minister for Policy and Reform after less than a year in post, to be replaced by John Shimmin.

Among other issues, he has campaigned for the island's government to become a single legal entity (at present each department has its own legal identity).

Following re-election in 2016, Robertshaw stated publicly that he would not contest the next election in 2021.

## Governmental positions

* Minister for Policy and Reform, 2014-2015
* Minister of Social Care, 2011–2014

## Election results

### 2016

2016 Manx General Election: Douglas East :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Claire Bettison | 561 | 18.06% |
| | Independent | Chris Robertshaw | 487 | 15.68% |
| | Independent | Jon Joughin | 480 | 15.45% |
| | Independent | Quintin Gill | 415 | 13.36% |
| | Independent | Amanda Walker | 373 | 12.01% |
| | Independent | Cat Turner | 324 | 10.43% |
| | Independent | John McBride | 303 | 9.76% |
| | Independent | Richard Halsall | 163 | 5.25% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 3106 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 2 | 0.12% |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,251 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1705 | 40.11% |

### 2011

2011 Manx General Election: Douglas East :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Chris Robertshaw | 915 | 30.87% |
| | Independent | Brenda Cannell | 757 | 25.54% |
| | Independent | Paul Moulton | 490 | 16.53% |
| | Independent | Geraldine O'Neill | 441 | 14.88% |
| | Independent | Richard Kissack | 238 | 8.03% |
| | Independent | John Karran | 123 | 4.15% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2964 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 12 | 0.71% |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,136 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1700 | 41.1% |

### 2010

2010 Douglas East By-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Chris Robertshaw | 388 | 27.17% |
| | Independent | Kate Beecroft | 301 | 21.08% |
| | Independent | Kevin Woodford | 276 | 19.33% |
| | Independent | Jon Joughin | 146 | 10.22% |
| | Independent | Christopher Heath | 72 | 5.04% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1428 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3792 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.82 |

### 2006

2006 Manx General Election: Douglas East :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Phil Braidwood | 777 | 28.63% |
| | Independent | Brenda Cannell | 728 | 26.82% |
| | Independent | Chris Robertshaw | 574 | 21.15% |
| | Independent | William Platt | 252 | 9.29% |
| | Independent | Stephen Osborne | 194 | 7.15% |
| | Independent | Carol Jempson | 189 | 6.96% |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 2714 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 8 | 0.78% |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,035 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1540 | 50.74% |
