Presidents saying no to P&R’s early election call

Several committee presidents said over the weekend that they were opposed to the idea.

Some suggested that P&R should instead consider resigning after failing for the second time this year to get its flagship tax reform plan through the States.

‘I don’t understand the logic of P&R’s call for an early election. This feels like an erratic over-reaction or perhaps a distraction,’ said Environment & Infrastructure president Lindsay de Sausmarez.

‘Certain other committees, including the two I serve on, are making progress delivering their mandates. If P&R doesn’t feel it can deliver on its mandate, it is for P&R to consider how, or indeed if, it can proceed as a committee, but I don’t think it’s reflective of the States as a whole.’

On Friday the States voted 24-15 against P&R’s preferred plan, including a goods and services tax and £350m. of borrowing to help fund capital projects with an estimated cost of about £600m.

Instead the Assembly backed P&R’s third-choice scheme, including smaller tax rises on motorists and companies, a shorter list of capital projects with an estimated cost of £340m. and £150m. of borrowing for social housing.

• Listen: Simon De La Rue and Matt Fallaize unpack the key decisions from Friday's debate on our Shorthand States podcast

‘The States backed one of the options that P&R put in its flagship policy letter, but now P&R is telling us that apparently that option is so disastrous that the government should be dissolved at the earliest opportunity,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.

‘If P&R didn’t think it could deliver that option, why include it in its policy letter at all?’

P&R president Deputy Peter Ferbrache said his committee would propose a general election around the middle of next year.

‘That looks like an over-reaction to what has been a testing time for P&R,’ said Economic Development president Neil Inder.

‘The Assembly did come out with a settled position on how it wanted to move forward with revenue generation, expenditure and broadly a fiscal policy. It may not have been my preferred choice, but that’s how democracy works.

‘This island was built on its hard work, diligence and stability. With 18 months of this term to go, it’s a time for cool heads, hard work and a task-and-finish process. An early general election is a very bad idea.

‘We were all elected to govern and we need to finish the job we were all tasked with.’

Deputy Inder, Development & Planning Authority president Deputy Victoria Oliver, and Employment & Social Security president Peter Roffey all said going to the polls next year would disrupt committees’ important work.

• Watch: Simon De La Rue spoke to Deputy Mark Helyar following Friday's vote

Deputy Roffey wondered if P&R was trying to organise a vote of no confidence in the Assembly before the Assembly could organise one in P&R.

‘On balance I am mindful to vote against what appears to be a rather impetuous proposal arising from exasperation,’ he said.

‘I certainly can’t suggest P&R resigns because it put forward the wrong tax package. After all, I supported it. But I read P&R’s comments as saying that its members personally don’t feel able to carry out a leadership role in this Assembly any more – an acceptance that they have “lost the dressing room”.

‘In those circumstances, whether it is their fault or that of the dressing room, I think there is probably a strong case to refresh our senior committee.’

Deputy Carl Meerveld, president of the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee, has advised P&R that a general election could not be organised before autumn next year and that the original date of June 2025 should be maintained.

Health & Social Care president Al Brouard was the only committee president spoken to by the Guernsey Press who indicated that he would ‘probably support’ a proposition to hold an early general election.

Deputy Brouard said that P&R itself needed to judge whether to remain in office as the senior committee.