‘Policy not personality’ is call from new political movement
A new political movement will be launched tonight.
More than 250 people have registered to attend an event at the Performing Arts Centre hosted by ‘Future Guernsey’.
Its founders believe the current political system is in crisis and have carried out research which they claim shows that voters ‘want the island to be governed on policy, rather than personality’.
Future Guernsey has confirmed three of its leading figures – chairman John Hardie, a former chief executive of ITN, chief executive Lindsey Freeman, a communications consultant, and political adviser Gavin St Pier, a States member since 2012.
‘The fact that only 13% of islanders we spoke to as part of our research, about one in 10, thinks that our political system is working can hardly be a great surprise to anyone,’ said Deputy St Pier.
‘Clearly, we cannot carry on as we are and we cannot afford another four years with as much indecision and inaction as this political term.’
Deputy St Pier led the Partnership of Independents when it obtained more seats than any other party at the last general election, in 2020, but it dissolved months later.
It is understood that no other deputies are involved in the new movement at this stage.
But all the indications are that it will look to recruit candidates to stand at June’s general election.
Ahead of its launch, Future Guernsey shared research which showed that 53% of the people it spoke to agreed strongly or somewhat that the island’s political system was not working, and three-quarters strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that the States should be run on the basis of policy rather than personality.
‘That sentiment is also why more than 250 people have said they want to come out on a dark Thursday night in November to learn more about the Future Guernsey project,’ said Deputy St Pier.
Tonight’s event, which was fully subscribed days ago, will feature a presentation and question and answer session.
Future Guernsey was registered by Deputy St Pier as a political party in 2021, but later de-registered. The new iteration of Future Guernsey has not registered as a political party.
Future Guernsey’s launch comes a few weeks after several States members, mostly on the centre right of the Assembly, dismissed speculation about a project to launch a new party ahead of the general election. They included Deputies John Dyke, Simon Vermeulen, Peter Ferbrache, Rob Prow, Nick Moakes and Bob Murray.
