Deputies Eddie Noel and Anne Pryke were returned unopposed
Deputies Roy Le Hérissier (left) and Bob Hill face contested elections
Apologies for the delay in this final part of this series in my blog; The past two weeks has proved even busier than expected!
The nominations have now taken place and we are now know who all the candidates are who will be contesting the 26 deputies, 4 Constables and 4 Senatorial Seats. One thing that is notable is that of the 11 uncontested seats, 10 can reasonably called Establishment and/or (Jersey) right-wing candidates. Only one - Constable Simon Crowcroft can be said to be part of the loose grouping of 'progressives'.
Meanwhile, all the seats currently held by (mildly) progressive deputies (and the other marginally less reactionary Constable of St Lawrence) are being contested. And they are being contested by official and unofficial candidates of the Black and White Party.
Thus 'old school progressives', in relatively safe seats, such as Deputies Le Hérissier (St Saviour No 3) and Bob Hill, are facing contested elections, whilst deep reactionary types like Deputies Anne Pryke (Trinity) and Eddie Noel (St Lawrence) are given a 'free ride'.
Thus 'old school progressives', in relatively safe seats, such as Deputies Le Hérissier (St Saviour No 3) and Bob Hill, are facing contested elections, whilst deep reactionary types like Deputies Anne Pryke (Trinity) and Eddie Noel (St Lawrence) are given a 'free ride'.
So what does this tell us? The Establishment are more organised. Their success does not rely on the popularity of their policies (just as well, as they do not have any explicit ones), rather their ability to mobilize and fool those who turn out to vote for them, whilst their unrepresentative power base and policy direction only serves to alienate would be progressive voters further, leading to huge abstentionism which permits the Establishment's to secure a sufficiently large 'minority' of votes, which under the flawed 'first past the post' system, is enough to get them elected.
They put candidates up in 'safe' seats held by progressives (i) because there is nothing to lose and (ii) to 'make them work'. It is time the progressives (or what passes for them) started to do the same.
Seeing as though the Black and White party are going to Andrew Lewis' PR company for advice on how to get elected. How will it look on the ability of his company if HE doesn't get elected?
ReplyDeleteWhy hasn't Philip Ozouf published this excellent comment from Tom Gruchy or ANY comments on his latest Blog posting?
ReplyDeleteSubmission by Tom Gruchy to Senator Philip Ozouf’s Blog dated 9 September 2011 regarding Lime Grove House – St Helier.
“I have attended most of the Scrutiny hearings regarding this failed project and been impressed by the professionalism of expert witnesses.
On the other hand, I have been appalled at the blustering and bullying attitude of yourself and the inconsistencies of your evidence.
In spite of the large team assembled by your Treasury Department to support you and your actions I have heard more than enough to convince me that your decision to abandon this project was wrong.
Your decision is certainly not supported by the spurious reasons offered before the Scrutiny Panel or the written statements offered by you since.
The financial loss to the public of Jersey by your personal decision could be many £millions and this is of course particularly blameworthy since you are forcing cuts and your CSR policies elsewhere.
The further delays in providing adequate accommodation to an already demoralised Police department is just one part of the considerable practical, public loss arising from this and related developments.
The reputational damage that has been caused to so many by your words and actions must also be considered and it is possible that legal actions will follow from those who have been damaged.
All in all, I hope that you will take the earliest opportunity to step back and to reconsider your ministerial position. I have no doubt that the Scrutiny Panel must publish a damning report of your department’s behaviour very soon. But we are now in the midst of Jersey’s first ever General Election and there are many other important issues that need to be discussed with the electorate. If you now allow this particular failure to dominate the elections and if you leave the public in any doubts about your political future it will be especially unfortunate for the democratic process.
Of course, the failure is a very important issue and needs to be discussed as part of the election process but such matters in Jersey have a habit of dragging on for years with reports being made upon reports - and those who are blameworthy allowed to slip away into the fog.
On this occasion, I would ask that you make the clearest statement now about your own position. I think that your resignation is inevitable but I am aware of the personal magnitude of such a decision for you since politics is an important part of your life.
In all the circumstances I invite you, in the public interest, to make the appropriate announcement.”
A good thesis, but flawed. The St Saviour contested election with Roy Le Herissier only came about when the candidate was going to stand in a different St Saviour district, and found out by accident when sorting his nominations that he was actually in Roy's district. It wasn't deliberate.
ReplyDeleteThat is a valid point, but the fact remains, that of the 11 seats not contested, 10 belong to staunch Jersey conservative candidates. Moreover, I do not know Mr Gouyet personally, but he could have easily decided to stand in the seat where he originally decided to stand.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, it does not bode to well for the said individual that he did not know which district he lived in until very shortly before the nomination day
ReplyDeleteMonty, said individual asked the right people which district he lived in and was given the wrong answer. As you are aware you are not allowed to see the electoral roll until you are nominated. At this point the error of others was found out and Mr Gouyet decided to stay true to his beliefs of standing in the district you live in.
ReplyDeleteAnon, you are incorrect to say that 'you are not allowed to see the roll until you are nominated.' Article 11 (1) of the Public Elections (Jersey) Law 2002 states that :
ReplyDelete'Every Connétable shall cause the electoral register for each electoral district within the Connétable’s parish to be available at the parish hall for public inspection during the office hours of the parish hall.'
This means an up-to-date register, as it currently stands on the day the request is made
Mr Farnham has a section on his site titled Time for Change. You do recruit some very strange types Monty.
ReplyDeleteAh, he must be a Commie!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lot of paranoid nonsense. Has it ever occurred to you, Deputy, that the political complexion of the chamber, with its predominantly small "c" conservative centre-right flavour, might just be a true reflection of the balance of political opinion in Jersey?
ReplyDeleteTadders,
ReplyDeleteSlighty bemused that you post on XSSS blog but do not provide a link to his site? In fairness, I don't think he links to your blog either. Would it benefit the public if he dropped his "plastic progressive" stance and you linked to his site (and vica versa)? He's stubborn, headstrong, and in his own words "impolite", but I guess you may have more in common than your combined egos may realise. Politically you are not miles apart, maybe the pair of you could focus on that, leaving personalities aside.