REFORM Jersey has announced it will back the vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister.
In a statement released on the eve of this week’s debate, the ten-member party said that the government was “characterised by broken promises, dysfunctionality and lacking any clear vision to take Jersey forward” and that “it is time for new leadership”.
It said that after meeting Chief Minister Kristina Moore twice since the no-confidence motion was lodged, it had become clear that “the change that Jersey needs is impossible to achieve under her leadership”.
States Members are set to start debating the motion, brought by former Infrastructure Minister Tom Binet, during Tuesday’s sitting.
Deputies Rose Binet, Andy Howell and Mary Le Hegerat signed the motion, and Constable Andy Jehan, who resigned as an Assistant Chief Minister in November, has stated he will back the move to oust Deputy Moore.
In its statement, Reform Jersey said: “Whilst Jersey faces a severe cost-of-living crisis, record levels of foodbank usage and growing inequality, the government has been beset by dysfunctionality, bullying accusations, and ministers resigning.
“Faith in politics has further been eroded by the broken promises on the living wage and GST on period products. The current leadership approach is not working, and Islanders are suffering the consequences of it.
“Reform Jersey cannot stand by and allow this to continue. We therefore offered the Chief Minister an opportunity to reset and consider our policy proposals to turn things around. These proposals were met with little more than nice words from the Chief Minister, and outright hostility from her colleagues.
“The final straw came last Friday, when a leaked letter showed the latest attack on Jersey’s teaching profession, including a shameful attempt to establish a database of how each teacher voted in a secret ballot.
“We share the concerns of the unions on the legality of this action and are dismayed that the government has approached this in such an authoritarian manner. We asked that this letter be withdrawn immediately, but this was not considered.
“We believe that Islanders would not forgive our members if we used our co-ordinated block vote in the Assembly to prop up a government that is now characterised by broken promises, dysfunctionality and lacking any clear vision to take Jersey forward.
“This was not the better way the public were promised and it is time for new leadership.”
