Parkinson starts formal attempt to unseat P&R

The leader of the motion, Charles Parkinson, started the process just hours after the five members of the senior committee said they were going nowhere and would fight a motion of no confidence in the States Assembly.

‘I have this afternoon sent a formal written request to the members of P&R asking them to resign their membership of that committee,’ said Deputy Parkinson.

‘The request was sent on behalf of the following seven members of the States: Charles Parkinson, Andy Cameron, David De Lisle, Marc Leadbeater, Aidan Matthews, Andy Taylor and Simon Vermeulen.’

Their move was prompted by P&R’s defeat in the Assembly last week over its flagship tax, borrowing and capital spending proposals and its surprise call immediately afterwards for an early general election.

The motion is understood to have the support in principle of about a dozen other deputies ahead of the States debate on it.

P&R said it respected that deputies were permitted to force a no confidence debate but that it was not in the island’s best interests to change the committee’s membership at this time.

It is due to lead two key debates in the next month – on the draft 2024 States Budget and the next phase of the Government Work Plan, through which the Assembly determines its priorities.

The committee said that resigning would also risk delaying or disrupting work to provide more housing and regenerate the Bridge and preparations for next year’s inspection of the island’s defences against financial crime by Moneyval.

‘We’ve given careful consideration to what is the right and responsible thing to do, noting the feedback we have had from States colleagues and members of the community,’ said P&R president Peter Ferbrache.

‘We accept the decision of the States last week and we now have a job and a duty to get on with taking forward the resolutions so we can do as much as possible to improve the financial position and progress the essential infrastructure projects that were supported.’

Deputy Ferbrache conceded that the States was ‘undeniably divided’ and that had made progress ‘extremely challenging’ since the 2020 election.

‘But resigning from our posts won’t change that and it would only serve to slow any progress further.

‘While talk of resignations and motions of no confidence leads to exciting headlines, it’s important to keep some perspective.

‘Guernsey remains an extremely safe, stable jurisdiction when compared to anywhere in the world. Day-to-day public services continue as ever, provided by our hardworking teams across the public sector. We have a strong economy, high employment, great opportunities and very good quality of life.

‘We will continue to work to ensure we preserve what makes Guernsey special and do all we can to meet the challenges the island still faces.’

P&R now risks becoming the first senior committee in three decades to lose a motion of no confidence debate in the Assembly. If it does, it will be deemed to have resigned, and elections will be held to form a new committee.

Deputy Christopher Le Tissier suggested that P&R members should consider going further and resigning from the States as well as from the committee.

‘A by-election for five new deputies is far less disruptive than a general election and certainly cheaper and quicker as by-elections are already ready to go, unlike an early general election that would need an awful lot of work and expense,’ he said.