Politicians in the Isle of Man have strongly criticized an April Fools’ joke about renaming Ronaldsway Airport in honor of cycling legend Sir Mark Cavendish.
Juan McGuinness, a Ramsey Town Commissioner, condemned the prank as “poorly timed at best and downright insulting at worst.” The joke, aired by Manx Radio and featuring Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood, suggested the airport could be renamed after the Tour de France champion, with a fictional £200,000 budget for new signage.
Initially, Manx Radio’s article did not include a clear disclaimer that it was an April Fools’ joke, causing confusion among some members of the public.
In his statement, Mr. McGuinness questioned why the Department of Infrastructure (DoI) would choose to joke about honoring “the island’s greatest ever sportsman” while simultaneously implementing a controversial £400,000 20mph speed limit scheme.
He also expressed concern over whether Sir Mark had been consulted before the segment aired.
“I don’t have a qualification in PR, but it seems poorly timed at best and downright insulting at worst,” McGuinness wrote on Facebook. “Why our Isle of Man Government / DoI thinks it’s funny to suggest honoring the island’s greatest living sportsman while also pushing an unwanted 20mph scheme for £400k (double the amount) is beyond me.”
The DoI is facing growing public criticism after it was revealed that the introduction of 20mph speed limits in residential areas is expected to cost £400,000. Minister Haywood confirmed that the 20mph zones would be rolled out by the end of 2026.
Rob Callister, MHK for Onchan, also criticized the joke, suggesting there is “very little difference” between Manx Radio’s story about the 20mph scheme and the April Fools’ Airport renaming prank. He added, “It’s definitely hard to work out which one is the April fool…”
Mr. McGuinness further suggested that the joke might be seen as “mocking” the idea of honoring Cavendish in the same way Madeira named its airport after Cristiano Ronaldo.
Manx Radio receives financial support from the Isle of Man Government, with an annual subvention of £1,127,642 for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, up from £1,089,509 the previous year. The subvention for the current financial year is expected to be £1,334,022, according to the station’s annual report.
Both the DoI and Manx Radio have been contacted for comment.
