Partnership of Independents unveils 16 election candidates
SIXTEEN candidates – including familiar and new faces – fighting under Gavin St Pier’s Guernsey Partnership of Independents banner have been unveiled ahead of the upcoming election.
Members include former deputies Yvonne Burford, Scott Ogier, Sandra James and David Inglis. Current deputies Jonathan Le Tocq, Lindsay de Sausmarez, Shane Langlois, Rhian Tooley, Jane Stephens, Sarah Hansmann Rouxel, Mark Dorey and Al Brouard are also part of the partnership.
New faces aiming to become deputies include Tina Bury, Steve Falla, Josh Macksoni and Andre Quevatre, with all but Mr Quevatre of the 19 partnership candidates coming on to the stage of the Beau Sejour theatre at the launch event, with around 60 people in the audience.
The grouping’s founders, Deputies St Pier, Heidi Soulsby and Lyndon Trott, hailed the ‘stellar’ candidates fighting under a campaign slogan of #MoveForwardTogether. More candidates were also expected to come on-board before the election.
Reflecting on the experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, Deputy St Pier said: ‘Many people, of course, in Guernsey have for so long been frustrated by the lack of progress on vital issues. But recent experience has shown that we can be much more effective when government is decisive and when we work together.
‘We’ve succeeded not because of any executive form of government, which, as we know, we don’t have. But simply because we’ve been able to work together. And that’s why I, Heidi Soulsby, Lyndon Trott, and many others from government, business and the community have come together today to form the Guernsey Partnership of Independents.’
With a pledge to deliver on Revive & Thrive plans to drive recovery from the pandemic, he stressed the need for bold and decisive government – while acknowledging there would be policy differences between partnership members.
‘We have a strong tradition of independent representatives, and there is great value in that. So the partnership will be a group of highly talented, strongly minded individuals. There will be no “whipping” and no trading favours.’
Its a more nuanced approach than a UK-style political party, where everyone falls into line behind the leader through fear or favour. The Guernsey electorate is also smart enough to understand the grouping, said Deputy St Pier.
‘That’s why our slate contains individuals who will hold different policy positions. But we are all committed, not only to working together, but also implementing majority decisions, and most importantly, including those majority decisions where as individuals we find ourselves in the minority.’
