The Speaker of the House of Keys is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the house at its first sitting after an election. He is responsible for controlling the procedure of the House and for authoritative interpretation of its standing orders. He sets the business of the House and authorises the order of business of the House for each sitting.
The Speaker is an impartial member of the House and only votes on motions where the division of votes is exactly half in favour and half against. He then votes in favour of the status quo.
All Speakers from 1750 to 1898 were either members of the Moore or Taubman families or married into them. Until 1866 the Keys was non-elected.
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