Soulsby calls time on her political career - for now

Deputy Soulsby, first elected in 2012, said she had been considering her position since the start of the year.

‘I have always believed that politicians should serve a maximum of three consecutive terms before taking a break and, as I have approached the end of this one, I feel it is the right thing for me to do.

‘I have put my heart and soul into the role of people’s deputy, but I am ready to take time out to look for new challenges outside of politics where I hope I can make a positive impact,’ she said.

She topped the poll in the south-east district in 2012 and 2016 and then finished second in the first island-wide election in 2020.

It was said that both she and Gavin St Pier, the poll-topper, had benefitted from a ‘Covid bounce’, and Deputy Soulsby went on to be awarded the MBE.

She served as president of Health & Social Care, which she said had been her best time in politics, and then in 2020 became vice-president of Peter Ferbrache’s Policy & Resources Committee, where she led on the development of the Government Work Plan.

She quit the committee in late 2022, saying she was frustrated that her views were not being listened to, and went on to admit that the committee’s stance over GST and the island’s Tax Review had been the main reason for her departure.

She led the Fairer Alternative proposals alongside Deputy St Pier, but although it fared better than P&R’s GST proposal, both ultimately failed to receive the backing of the States.

Deputy Soulsby returned to P&R, as vice-president to Lyndon Trott, after the previous committee was ousted at the end of 2023.

‘There have been frustrating and disappointing moments for sure, and this term has seen more than its fair share of those, but these have been outnumbered by the positives,’ she said.

She said that she might stand again in the future, but said that from June, ‘I will be watching with interest’.