Marc Laine said yesterday that he would go ahead with the idea he floated last week of cancelling an island-wide poll to replace disgraced deputy Jonathan Le Tocq.
He revealed he needed the backing of only one or two more deputies to win a majority in the Assembly ahead of a vote on the by-election expected early in 2026.
‘I have 18 members who have already said they would vote for a requete and I am canvassing further support. I am pretty confident,’ said Deputy Laine, immediately after the Assembly sat yesterday for its final meeting of the year.
‘I plan to go ahead. I am discussing timing with the Law Officers, as I want to ensure we have published estimates on cost from the States Assembly & Constitution Committee.’
The Assembly unanimously agreed to accept Le Tocq’s resignation yesterday, two weeks after he pleaded guilty in the Royal Court to a total of 15 charges of making, sending and possessing more than 2,400 indecent images of children.
Sacc is now required to draw up a policy letter with detailed proposals for the by-election to replace him.
It is understood that the committee has been advised that organising it would cost about £200,000.
A public petition has also been launched to stop what its organiser said was an ‘unnecessary’ by-election.
The online petition hosted on change.org had received just over 200 signatures by 3pm yesterday.
Richard van Vliet, group managing director at Cannon Asset Management, said he did not normally get involved in politics.
‘I just woke up on Monday morning and thought, “I need to do something as a member of the tax-paying public”,’ he said.
‘I just felt there was excessive expenditure that could be incurred – firstly in setting up the election, which no one seems to know how much it will cost, and secondly in wages of £200,000 over four years.’
He said that most people he had spoken to agreed with him.
‘This is evidenced by the amount of letters printed in your own letters page. I’ve had one email from someone saying a by-election is their democratic right, and I’ve no problem with that.
‘There are always at least two sides to every story that need to be heard, but when the States are telling us there is no money and are cutting expenditure, so that our health services are not funded properly, and charities lose support, and on top of that we have had the recent debacle over the IT system.’
Mr van Vliet said he hoped as many people as possible would back his petition to hold local leaders accountable and stop ‘wasteful spending’.
‘Let’s urge the States of Guernsey to reconsider this decision, demonstrate financial responsibility, and use taxpayer funds in a manner that genuinely benefits our island,’ he said.
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