399:"I would delight in birching both of you" – Those words spoken by a magistrate nearly 30 ago, to two mentally retarded children, should be burnt into the soul of every Manxman. The remarks represent a bigotry, intolerance and fundamental disregard for civil liberty that existed and is retained to this day. The birch, of course, has since "died the death" and is consigned to "saloon bar" nostalgia for a perceived more disciplined age.
351:"The Isle of Man Government, using the thinly veiled guise of Social Reform, is about to establish new Employment Law. This Social Legislation is designed to provide the State with a security from industrial strife that the old 1936 (Trades Dispute) Act provided. In enacting this legislation Government effectively hopes to hang the same 'albatross' around the neck of organised labour as they did in the 1930s."
35:
364:
Bernard
Moffatt has been active in campaigning for reform of laws relating to civil liberties on the island for four decades. In the 1980s, with the assistance of the TGWU and when District Chairman on the island, he lobbied the Home Office, meeting government ministers and urging action to allow the
221:
During his period as both AGS and
General Secretary, Moffatt oversaw the Celtic League's military monitoring campaigns. This was a long-running and diverse campaign covering all facets of military activity in the Celtic countries. It was extensively documented in Carn and a copious file of activities
217:
Editor) was the branch secretary at the time. Moffatt eventually succeeded
Bridson as Secretary and was later elected Assistant General Secretary to assist Alan Heusaff in overall stewardship of the League. Moffatt eventually succeeded Heusaff as General Secretary and undertook that office from 1984
104:
During his youth, Moffatt became acquainted with several prominent figures in the Manx nationalist and language movement, all from the west of the island. These included the brothers Walter and Leslie Quirk, Jack Irving, and Alfie Cooil. At that time, however, there was no official
Nationalist Party
100:
Moffatt's commitment to Manx nationalism was influenced by his early education, which emphasized Manx history, art, and culture. He has stated, "I'm now a fully committed Manx
Nationalist," attributing this to his school experiences, including interactions with Mona Douglas and participation in Manx
355:
Moffatt retired as TGWU full-time official but continued as a member of the IOM Trades
Council and also as Secretary of the IOM Whitley Council for several years. He retired completely from Trade Union duties in September 2014. His daughter Angela Moffatt is a full-time official on the IOM for the
240:
Military monitoring materials compiled by the League have been drawn on extensively by other sources over the years. A copy of a file on munitions dumping around the
British Isles was supplied to the Department of the Marine in the 1990s, and the League's archive was also used in a report compiled
137:
In its early years, Mec Vannin positioned itself as a national liberation movement, with some members viewing the Isle of Man as being under excessive
British influence, akin to a colonial administration. The party explored various approaches to nationalism, including: Constitutional reform Direct
339:
Moffatt became branch chairman of the main TGWU branch (the 6/509) and also
Chairman of the TGWU Isle of Man District Committee. Eventually he became full-time official for the TGWU on the island. He was involved in fuel oil disputes and brewery strikes, and also coordinated support for striking
200:
The AMA's activities became contentious among some factions within Mec Vannin, leading to unsuccessful attempts to expel
Moffatt and other members. This internal conflict resulted in the departure of disaffected elements, who subsequently established a short-lived "Manx National Party". Moffatt
92:. Both his mother (Millie Cashin) and father (James Moffatt) were Manx. He was educated at Peel Clothworkers School, where Manx dancing classes at the School were organised by Mona Douglas, an icon of the Manx cultural revival. Moffatt was enrolled in one of those teams.
138:
action Increased focus on Manx language and culture There were also efforts to establish connections with Welsh and Irish republican groups. However, it's important to note that Mec Vannin did not adopt a republican stance until over two decades after its formation.
321:) said (of his application to be a TGWU official), "It’s your politics. You’re a nationalist they will definitely appoint someone from the (Manx) Labor Party. You’re not left-wing.", and added, "I remember being mildly amused at the idea that anyone in the MLP (
158:
Mec Vannin's primary objective is to achieve national independence for the Isle of Man as a sovereign state, based on a republican form of government. The party also aims to protect and advance Manx interests and safeguard the rights of the Manx people.
146:
The party's development was marked by internal conflicts and divisions, which persisted until the mid-1980s. These challenges reflected the diverse opinions within the Manx nationalist movement regarding the best path forward for achieving their goals.
391:
He was a founder member (and Secretary) with other trade unionists of the Manx Council for Civil Liberty which existed in the 1990s and was successful in seeing changes to civil liberties legislation which reformed all the aforementioned issues.
411:
Moffatt has presented evidence on behalf of the Celtic League to various international bodies on civil liberties issues. In relation to the Isle of Man this has successfully focused on prison reform.
125:
Nationalist Party, established in 1962. His participation in the inaugural meeting, along with about a dozen others, is documented in Mec Vannin's original minute book, which is now preserved in the
180:
on the Isle of Man, advocating for the closure of an Army base and military bombing range on the island. Additionally, the AMA opposed the use of military facilities on the Island that supported
647:
332:
from the 1960s. He joined the TGWU while working for the Forestry Board and was a shop steward in the building industry in the early 1970s. He left the TGWU and joined the health union COHSE (
317:, which he wrote for briefly, in December 2015, Mr. Moffatt, pointed out the misapprehension of many regarding his politics, stating that a secretary in the 1980s Isle of Man TGWU (
172:
Bernard Moffatt's involvement with Mec Vannin fluctuated over a decade before he fully committed to the nationalist movement in the early 1970s. In 1976, Moffatt co-founded the
229:(MNH) Library (additional papers are also lodged in the National Library of Wales) and in November 2008 were featured in a French TV documentary (broadcast globally on
395:
Moffatt was scathing of the Manx government and popular attitudes in the island to civil liberties. Quoting a remark made by a sentencing magistrate, he said:
616:
Tohru Aketagawa, Investigation about Application of Status of Forces Agreement (United States of America), Report to Upper House of the Japanese Diet, 2002.
176:(AMA), a coalition of members from the Manx branch of the Celtic League and Mec Vannin. The AMA's initial focus was to campaign against the presence of
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192:. The organization produced the Celtic League and AMA News, a complete archive of which is preserved in the Manx Museum (MNH) Library.
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to the Manx nation. This collaborative venture between the Manx and London branches of the Celtic League was ultimately successful.
71:
53:
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For the past thirty years or more this Nation has consistently lacked a leadership that took a firm stand on individual liberty.
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remained with Mec Vannin, holding various executive positions over the years, and was eventually elected Life President.
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Vickers Viscount, EI-AOM, Fatal Crash at Tuskar Rock, 24 March 1968, Irish Department of Transport – AAIU, 2002.
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Through the Trades Council, Moffatt cooperated with others in opposing new trade union laws. In a foreword to
173:
266:
Another Celtic League campaign in which Moffatt enthusiastically participated was the initiative to have the
237:). Moffatt was interviewed by journalist Veronica Weber in the library vault at MNH with the boxes of files.
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came in the mid-1970s as a result of the formation in Manning of the AMA. Patricia Bridson (later to become
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Cringle, Terry (February–March 1988). "Bernard Moffatt – Manx Nationalist and Union Leader".
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607:"Thalassa" (nautical TV magazine programme), France 3 & TV5, October/November 2008.
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during their investigation, and League queries were responded to in the final report.
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MCCL records lodged with MNH Library - Thie Tashtee Vannin, Douglas, Isle of Man.
648:"Bernard Moffatt, Outside Left: You're not left wing enough! - Isle of Man Today"
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to Manx citizens (this was rescinded in 1976 and not restored until the 1990s).
325:) was left wing." He went on, "In some ways I’m a conservative with a small c."
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Moffatt has travelled extensively for the Celtic League, giving papers on
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Proceedings of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society
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miners by blocking imports of coal into the island and raising funds.
336:) for a period in the mid-1970s, finally rejoining the TGWU in 1980.
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Celtic League news archive, majority of articles by Bernard Moffatt
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IoM Trade Council Criticises Discriminatory Work Permit Rules
719:
CPT Report to the Government of the United Kingdom, May 2003.
490:
A New History of the Isle of Man: The Modern Period 1830-1999
513:
Kermode, David (1995). "The Evolution of Manx Nationalism".
443:"Ripples in a Celtic Tide – Evolution of Manx Nationalism".
248:
In addition, League material was supplied to the reopened
686:
On Whose Terms – The Betrayal of the Manx Working Class
384:), for reform of laws outlawing homosexuality, and for
345:
On Whose Terms – The Betrayal of the Manx working class
270:(a small island to the south of Man) returned from the
129:(MNH) Library after being missing for two decades.
571:"The Development of Manx Nationalism – Part 11",
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672:"Simon Richardson talks to Bernard Moffatt",
356:white-collar and technical union "Prospect".
225:These files were eventually deposited in the
8:
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372:He has also campaigned for the abolition of
109:
334:Confederation of Health Service Employees
72:Learn how and when to remove this message
313:Writing in the "Outside Left" column in
117:Bernard Moffatt was a founder member of
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365:right of individual petition under the
209:Moffatt's initial involvement with the
84:Bernard Moffatt (born April 1946) is a
748:New opposition to Sellafield pollution
676:, 35th Anniversary Issue, Vol. 9 No 4.
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319:Transport and General Workers' Union
635:Carn – Journal of the Celtic League
367:European Convention on Human Rights
533:"Mec Vannin - Aims and Objectives"
252:enquiry into the 1968 crash of an
44:tone or style may not reflect the
25:
54:guide to writing better articles
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261:Air Accident Investigation Unit
259:. The material was used by the
559:(various issues), MNH Library.
492:. Liverpool University Press.
1:
168:Bernard Moffatt's involvement
738:Website of the Celtic League
557:Celtic League & AMA News
378:judicial corporal punishment
88:nationalist who was born in
778:Manx independence activists
591:, Constable, London, 1993.
537:Mec Vannin Official Website
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710:, Issue 2, September 1992.
688:, IOM District TGWU, 1990.
218:to 1988 and 1991 to 2006.
587:Peter Berresford Ellis,
469:. Manx National Heritage
174:Anti-Militarist Alliance
96:Early life and education
783:Mec Vannin politicians
488:Belchem, John (2000).
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328:Moffatt was an active
315:Isle of Man Newspapers
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573:Celtic History Review
445:Celtic History Review
463:"Mec Vannin Records"
133:Early party ideology
105:in the Isle of Man.
654:on 21 December 2015
178:military facilities
637:, various volumes.
374:capital punishment
196:Internal conflicts
773:Manx nationalists
323:Manx Labour Party
241:for the Japanese
222:was accumulated.
90:Peel, Isle of Man
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658:21 December
295:Switzerland
279:nationalism
268:Calf of Man
227:Manx Museum
127:Manx Museum
757:Categories
430:Mann Today
415:References
347:he wrote:
254:Aer Lingus
154:Objectives
119:Mec Vannin
111:Mec Vannin
674:Manx Life
231:TV5 Monde
382:birching
235:France 3
542:17 July
473:17 July
467:iMuseum
299:Romania
289:in the
188:during
163:History
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121:, the
303:Libya
660:2015
593:ISBN
544:2024
521:(2).
494:ISBN
475:2024
451:(2).
376:and
301:and
285:and
215:Carn
123:Manx
86:Manx
184:in
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