MOVES to reinstate the role of Senator are ‘by no means off the table’, according to the politician behind the proposition to restore the Islandwide mandate, which was narrowly defeated in the States.
Deputy Ian Gorst was defiant after seeing his proposals knocked back by 24 votes to 23 after a debate lasting more than five hours.
Speaking after the vote, he said: ‘It was very close and there were one or two Members who said they were in favour but wanted to give the Privileges and Procedures Committee time to do further work, so let’s see what they propose in due course.
‘I think it’s by no means off the table, but unless it starts happening relatively early, then it could be too late for the next election.’
Having liaised closely on the proposition with his fellow representative for St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter, Deputy Lyndon Farnham said it was ‘hugely disappointing’ the vote had been lost.
‘I remain of the firm opinion that having Senators is the most democratic system and should be reintroduced,’ he said. ‘The fact that the vote was so close suggests it is worthy of another debate in the future.’
During the debate, both Deputies Gorst and Farnham said the issue had been a major topic during campaigning for last year’s general election, prompting them to commit to reverse it once they had been elected.
But another representative from the same district, Deputy Lucy Stephenson, took issue with this.
She said: ‘I made clear on the doorstep and at hustings that I would not support the return of Senators, and I got more votes than they [Deputies Farnham and Gorst] did, so their re-election doesn’t provide evidence.
‘There’s a sweeping claim that this is what people want, but you can’t base policy on doorstep conversations.’
Chief Minister Kristina Moore said that while she had initially seen an Islandwide mandate as valuable, having been elected as a Senator in 2018, she had found the term of office to be ‘uncomfortable, frustrating and unpleasant’.
Having multiple representatives for each electoral district was good for engagement, she said, and this system would improve further when all Deputies had access to constituency offices.
Constable Philip Le Sueur said that his parishioners in Trinity had shown overwhelming opposition to the changes introduced ahead of last year’s election, with only around ten of the 160 people attending a consultation meeting being supportive of the abolition of Senators.
Deputy Lyndsay Feltham said that people went through different phases when dealing with changes, starting with denial and anger and then moving on to acceptance and support. She said she had gone through similar emotions when she heard about proposed changes to the 2023 Battle of Flowers.
Although the margin of defeat was one vote, regulations about propositions relating to the composition of the Assembly require an absolute majority of the 49 States Members, meaning Deputy Gorst needed 25 votes to succeed.
HOW THEY VOTED
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For (23): Deputies Andrews, R Binet, Farnham, Ferey, Gorst, Howell, Labey, Le Hegarat, Luce, Miles, Millar, Morel, Scott, B Ward and Wilson; Constables Honeycombe, Jackson, Johnson, Labey, Le Sueur, Lewis, Mezbourian and Troy.
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Against (24): Deputies Ahier, Alves, Bailhache, Coles, A Curtis, C Curtis, Doublet, Feltham, Gardiner, Jeune, Kovacs, Mézec, Moore, Ozouf, Renouf, Southern, Stephenson, Tadier, Ward and Warr; Constables Crowcroft, Jehan, Shenton-Stone and Vibert.
Two Members did not vote: Deputy Tom Binet was ill and Deputy Beatriz Porée was excused attendance.
