Some deputies said they had been shaken and dismayed by threatening behaviour and malicious language online and face-to-face from a small but fanatical group of anti-GST protesters.
They reported numerous incidents of being called ‘traitors’, ‘enemies of the people’ and ‘Nazis’, and being told they would no longer be welcome in establishments in Guernsey and should watch out when in public, if they voted for Policy & Resources’ tax package, including a goods and services tax, which was nevertheless approved by the States by 22 votes to 17 on Friday evening.
P&R president Lindsay de Sausmarez said elements of the campaign had become ‘much more personal and vitriolic’ than politicians had experienced previously, and some of her colleagues had been ‘really affected’ over the past few weeks.
She said that most opponents had been respectful but she was concerned about the influence of an ill-tempered minority on the future of political debate in the island and appealed to campaigners not to allow their passion to boil over into abuse.
‘One of Guernsey’s great strengths is that we can have face-to-face conversations and agree to disagree in a way which is civilised and human,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.
‘Some of the behaviour we have seen around this campaign has taken on characteristics which are not very typical of Guernsey, and I really hope they don’t become the norm.
‘My hope is that we can restore a much more classically Guernsey approach to engaging on political issues. I would like to see that engagement become a bit less personalised and abusive.’
Deputy Paul Montague, the Education president, said he had been shocked to hear people shouting ‘traitor’ at [treasury lead] Deputy Charles Parkinson during a public protest outside the Royal Court on Thursday morning.
Deputy Neil Inder, the Development & Planning Authority president, said he had received a number of physical threats which were related to odious comments on social media, and he was concerned that increasingly hateful language could spill over into violence against a politician. He was caught out ‘giving the finger’ to protesters on the steps of the Royal Court on Friday morning.
Deputy Tina Bury, the Employment & Social Security president, voted against P&R’s proposals but revealed that elements of the opposition campaign had come close to pushing her to vote for them, and she implied that some States members were not blameless.
‘Some of the behaviour displayed, both inside and outside the States chamber, has frankly been appalling,’ she said.
‘The misinformation, personal attacks, aggression and abuse I have experienced and witnessed concern me greatly. At times, it has made me worry that we are drifting towards the increasing polarised politics we see elsewhere.’
She urged campaigners not to bully or intimidate deputies into voting their preferred way and encouraged the island to reject ‘a culture of populist politics where decisions are made with eyes fixed on the next election and decisions are driven by self-interest, not public interest’.
Deputies Bury and de Sausmarez said they had been part of campaign groups outside the States before being elected and recognised the value of protest and dissent, which they felt was in any event more effective if it was kept respectful.
One ‘backbench’ deputy, Rhona Humphries, claimed that voters who supported P&R’s tax package had felt they could only ‘literally whisper in my ear’ because they feared other people knowing their views.
Protest has crossed the line previously in Guernsey politics, with incidents of politicians being spat at, having property vandalised and requiring police protection, but some deputies fear that the problem is intensifying with encouragement online.
Deputy de Sausmarez was worried that increasing levels of abuse could not only intimidate some existing deputies but also discourage potentially able candidates from standing for election in the future.
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