THE Progress Party has formally disbanded – a year after a disastrous night at the polls which left it with just one member in the States.
In a catalogue of defeats during the 2022 election, the party saw its leader, Steve Pallet, voted out and two new candidates fail to win a seat.
Only party secretary Deputy Steve Luce managed to secure a place in the new House.
In a statement on Friday, the party said: ‘Since the 2022 elections, which was a challenging day for TPP, the party continued to conduct party business, looking for other ways to drive engagement with our membership and the Island.
‘The Island spoke at the last elections and the party’s political representation in the States Assembly was halved.
‘Despite significant efforts, TPP have found it challenging to get the engagement needed to deliver the aims of the party and have decided, following significant amounts of discussion and consideration, to dissolve TPP.
‘Steve Luce, party leader, who becomes an independent Member of the States Assembly, wishes to thank the party members, the executive committee and all who supported the party over the last few years.’
In the aftermath of the election, the leaders of all three of Jersey’s new political parties vowed to press on despite suffering a miserable time at the polls.
Only one of Jersey Alliance’s 14 candidates – Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur – secured a seat during a night which saw the party’s leader, Sir Mark Boleat, finish last in St Clement and sitting Chief Minister John Le Fondré voted out of the States. Mr Le Sueur has since left the party.
The Jersey Liberal Conservatives fared best out of the fledgling parties – seeing party leader Sir Philip Bailhache return to the States as a St Clement Deputy after a four-year absence, and former Citizens Advice Jersey chief executive Malcolm Ferey comfortably win a seat in St Saviour.
Reform Jersey, meanwhile, enjoyed a successful night, getting ten of its candidates over the line and doubling its number of seats in the Assembly.
