‘I’m not an Antichrist who is opposed to any liberal change’
GUERNSEY’S Chief Minister has hit back at those who, he says, have sought to cast him as an ‘Antichrist’ opposed to any liberal change – as he took aim at ‘woke culture’.
Deputy Peter Ferbrache said he and others believed in social change but that it had to be balanced, realistic and in line with the community’s aspirations.
It was time for ‘practical politics’, and, highlighting his own tough upbringing, said: ‘I bow my knee to no one when it comes to social policies.’
In a straight-talking address to business leaders, he said smaller government was vital in post-Covid times when there was less money in the public coffers.
‘What Guernsey in 2021 and beyond should have is practical politics.
‘Let’s case aside McWokeyism, as I think it’s called, navel gazing, vanity project after vanity project and moral righteousness,’ he told the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce lunch yesterday.
‘Let’s cast all of that to the margins, because we’ve had too much of that over the past 20 years.’
Guernsey was navigating the pandemic better than anywhere else, but the Bailiwick was facing the biggest financial crisis since the Second World War.
With less financial resource as a result of the pandemic, there was a need to change to survive and prosper.
‘Guernsey people are naturally conservative with a small “c”,’ continued the P&R president.
‘They are socially democratic and liberal in that they believe people should lead their lives with as little interference from the state as possible.
‘They want their bills paid and they don’t want the States on their behalf to incur any debt or debt which cannot be serviced.’
Over a number of Assemblies, there had been a ‘leftwards’ drift with ‘career politicians with supposedly high social consciences’ – but hundreds of resolutions going back, in some instances, 20 years, that had sat on the shelf.
‘We want Guernsey, if at all possible, to have a smaller government. We want to stem the tide of the growth of government,’ added Deputy Ferbrache.
‘Democracy will always make its own choices, but I would hope that we can embed in the psyche of Guernsey and the voters of Guernsey that we must always be a socially liberal society.
‘But we need to be proactive and our first concern, always, must be earning money and creating opportunity for people.
‘Without earning money and creating opportunity, we would be living in a society that would be more dependent on debt and the state.
‘We already hear it too often: “That’s the problem, it’s the States’ problem they will solve it”. And in the words of Mrs Thatcher: “No. No, No”.’
He stressed the state had a role to play in social matters, and highlighted his support for changes in abortion and divorce laws and the age of consent for gay sex.
To illustrate his point, he spoke about growing up in poverty in Guernsey and backed the creation of a developed social security system since that time.
‘I wholly support the changes that have been made over the years, but we must now look at any further changes with rigour. We must always encourage people to work.’
He also said: ‘My background is not a matter for this speech, but it’s certainly one that makes me appreciate the value of a pound and I bow my knee to no one on when it comes to social policies.
‘Some of those who profess an affinity with the less-fortunate in our society, although undoubtedly well-intentioned, have never experienced hardship in their lives and have textbook consciences.
‘I have a practical experience of poverty.’
He added: ‘I’m not some kind of Antichrist and opposed to any liberal change.
‘I believe and others also with me believe that changes have to be balanced, realistic and in line with the hopes and aspirations of our community.’
