CHIEF Minister Frank Walker emerged politically unscathed yesterday after fighting off two separate attacks in the States.
Deputy Geoff Southern was left humiliated after his vote of censure against Senator Walker received the support of just one fellow member of the Jersey Democratic Alliance.
And Senator Stuart Syvret was defeated by almost as decisive a margin in his vote of no confidence proposition in the entire Council of Ministers. He lost by 41 votes to eight.
However, the sacked Health Minister said that the council’s victory underlined more than ever the need for a marginalised electorate to have real representation in the States.
He used his closing speech in the vote of no confidence debate shortly before lunch yesterday to launch a new political party. He said Jersey Charter would be a movement for change based upon a set of core values to be published as a charter within days.
Senator Syvret added that it would not be the movement’s intention to have policies on every issue that came up for debate, but rather it would press for more equitable, democratic, open and accountable government.
Speaking this morning, Senator Frank Walker said that he was delighted with the results of the votes, which had, despite the intentions of the two men behind the attacks, turned into huge votes of confidence in his leadership.
He said that he was pleased to be able to get back to running the Island, as so much of his time during the past few weeks had been taken up preparing for the two debates.
The Chief Minister said he believed that the results gave him and his nine ministers a renewed mandate to carry on implementing the policies agreed by the House in the Strategic Plan.
However, he added: ‘I have taken on board the constructive criticisms made along the way. It is very clear to me and all of us that we have a great deal of work to do. The system is most certainly not perfect. It would be remarkable if it was at this early stage of its evolution.’
He insisted that the council’s record would be the envy of any government or private sector organisation. ‘Ministerial government is a success,’ he said. ‘We need to work now to ensure that all Islanders know the ways in which Jersey is developing and how the quality of the Island is improving.’
Senator Walker said that he and his ministers would work to reconnect with both the public and Members of the States.
‘Jersey is a wonderful place to live,’ he said. ‘We have got a great environment, a beautiful coastline and beautiful countryside and a very successful economy. We take our social responsibilities seriously and look after the less well off. We look after them better than they have ever been looked after before and none of that has happened by accident.’
Senator Syvret said that the result of the no confidence vote was highly predictable, but stressed that it would not stop those striving to create a better and genuinely democratic Island government.
He said that he had made it clear that a vote for the no confidence motion might not have led to a sea change in Island politics, but a vote against it just might.
He explained that the result showed that a new political movement was needed.
