Focusing on fragile futures
PLENTY of flagship policy letters, the culmination of years of work from committees, have crashed in the States of Deliberation over the years. Some of them brought down by deputies themselves, others by pressure from the public.
Some might say that politically, the Tax Review is just another one of those reports. But it feels so much more significant.
And it really is unclear how this States could, and should, move on from here.
For the next week or so, that decision still rests with the Policy & Resources Committee. But they will have reflected, over the weekend, whether they still have a plausible mandate, and even if they wish to continue to lead.
Their authority has undoubtedly been weakened, but it’s not clear if that is terminal, or whether they can recover.
Has its power base been eroded to the point of fragility?
If P&R stands strong, will other deputies seek to force change? Will the committee be allowed to limp on until its next Budget, when it would be best suited to make the moves it still believes it can to move towards securing the island’s financial future.
That is the question that is much bigger than the rough and tumble of political futures.
Particularly when how to fix the island's finances remains as unclear now as it ever has been.