Some support for early general election among ‘backbenchers’

Most committee presidents are opposed to P&R’s plan for the island to go to the polls in 2024, a year or so ahead of schedule, and some said yesterday that they believed even the senior committee itself may be going lukewarm on the idea.

But several deputies who are not presidents of major committees said that they would back a proposition for a general election if one was taken to the States for debate.

Deputy Steve Falla could understand why P&R had suggested the idea as a way to break what it sees as an ‘impasse’ in a notoriously divided Assembly.

‘My view is that this would be a gamble for the electorate between the devil you know and the grass is always greener on the other side,’ he said.

‘However, if we limp on as we are, I’m at a loss over how to achieve better cross-Assembly collaboration.

‘If there is a view from the electorate that a new set of deputies would do a better job, an election next summer would at least mean that new members would be up and running and across their mandates by the scheduled date of June 2025.

‘It might also be the only way to bring an early end to the divide that has been a recurring and prominent feature of this political term.’

Deputy Simon Vermeulen said emphatically that he would support an early general election.

Father of the House John Gollop said he was ‘on balance’ in favour of an election next year.

‘I think we have an Assembly of at least three sometimes oppositional factions and we will need a refresh of presidencies and committee members sooner rather than later,’ he said.

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

Simon Fairclough, a member of his committee, said he was sympathetic to the idea in principle if it could be made to work in practice.

‘I certainly think there would be some merit in holding an early general election, but there are many potential implications to consider, not least the impact on current work and projects being undertaken by various committees, including the ones on which I sit.

‘I would like some more time to discuss the suggestion with colleagues and staff,’ said Deputy Fairclough.

Deputy Tina Bury said she had ‘no firm views’ on whether to bring forward the date of the general election and would need a better understanding of the practicalities and ramifications before voting on the issue.

She also said that she had expected to be discussing P&R’s ‘imminent standing down or, if not, a motion of no confidence’, rather than a general election, following the committee’s second failure this year to get its flagship tax, borrowing and spending plan through the States.

P&R is expected to make a further statement after it meets today.