COUNTING down to Christmas wasn’t the only ticking clock that was in the minds of those gathering in the States Chamber for the last time in 2024, including the man in charge.
The Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, was presiding over the festive formalities for the final time, having indicated a few weeks ago that he will retire on 17 October next year.
Even with the increasing #ChristmasCreep that brings an earlier start every year, the halls are unlikely to have been decked by that point, although in one sense it seems to be Christmas every time Sir Timothy, with his white beard, rosy cheeks and flowing red robes, takes his seat behind the Royal Mace.
Being the President of the States doesn’t mean the Bailiff can meddle with the batting order, and he duly waited his turn while the longest-serving Constable and Deputy made their festive addresses.
The day after the 23rd anniversary of his election by the parishioners of St Helier, Constable Simon Crowcroft was first to his feet, with Sir Timothy among a long list of people he wanted to thank and pass on seasonal good wishes.
“No doubt you have discovered the countdown clock on your phone as well as the dictionary and are enjoying seeing the number of days [you have] left dwindle away,” he said.
Self-deprecation invariably goes down well in the Chamber, and the Constable was quick to highlight the pay-off line from his 2023 speech, in which he expressed seasonal regards to political counterparts in Guernsey and his hope that the two islands would work more closely in the future.
“I fervently hope this year’s speech won’t jinx matters in the same way,” he said.
Deputy Geoff Southern, first elected to the States in 2002, described himself as the Assembly’s grumpiest Deputy, as well as its longest-serving.
Although he admitted that his first reaction to being wished Happy Christmas was usually a muttered “bah humbug”, Deputy Southern recognised a chance to make a few observations about Jersey in between the festive thank-yous, including the increasing need for foodbanks to alleviate poverty.
“We are a rich Island and we can, we must, do better,” he said.
The 2009 book The Spirit Level, by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, was the chosen reference work, and Deputy Southern wanted to highlight the authors’ theme about why more equal societies did better than those where inequality prevailed.
“There is still a long way to go in the fight for equality, but we have already achieved much,” he said.
Sir Timothy was last up, expressing concern about the standing order which prohibits repetition. “But as everyone else ignores it, I thought I might hazard one of two repetitious remarks,” he said.
Looking back on the highlights of 2024, the Bailiff recalled the Royal Visit in July.
“The Constable [of St Helier] mentioned that people were still talking about it, and the best information that I have is that His Majesty is still talking about it – not just the biblical downpour, but the welcome he received from the people of Jersey,” he said.
Sir Timothy ran through some of the Assembly’s vital statistics for 2024, including the most questions asked (62, by Deputy Jonathan Renouf) and the most speeches (44, by Deputy Philip Ozouf). He spared the blushes of the two Members tied for being ruled “en défaut” – absent without leave – the most times, although there was no such leniency for Constable David Johnson, as he was fined twice for audible alerts coming from his laptop.
There were also some words of reproach about some Members’ contributions being “unnecessarily tendentious” and over-critical, not giving the benefit of the doubt to their peers.
“As we come towards the end of the year I hope we can put these slight elements behind us and have a new philosophy and start afresh,” he said.
