EXCLUSIVE
EXTERNAL Relations Minister Ian Gorst will be standing for Senator in June’s election, if the Islandwide mandate returns, the JEP can reveal.
The role was scrapped for the last election but States Members voted for its return last March, when the Assembly decided to replace a deputy in each of the nine voting districts with a senator.
The return of the Islandwide mandate is virtually guaranteed, with the law change passed; however, the appointed day act is yet to be approved.
Since he was first elected to the Assembly in 2005, the seasoned politician has served as Deputy, Senator and then back to Deputy.
First elected as a Deputy in St Clement in 2005, Deputy Gorst served two terms in that role before being elected as Senator in 2011.
He was re-elected as Senator in 2014 and 2018 before returning to Deputy, as one of four politicians in the new St Mary, St Ouen and St Peter district at the last election.
He has held a number of key ministerial positions over his 21 years in the Assembly, including Chief Minister for two terms, Treasury Minister, Social Security Minister and most recently External Relations Minister with responsibility for financial services.
Deputy Gorst stood for the top political job once more following the vote of no confidence in the then-Chief Minister Kristina Moore in January 2024, but was beaten by Deputy Lyndon Farnham by 27 votes to 22 after Reform Jersey leader Deputy Sam Mézec was voted out for receiving the fewest votes in the first round.
Jersey will go to the polls on Sunday 7 June to elect nine Senators, 28 Deputies and 12 Constables for a four-year term.
It comes after the JEP revealed this week that Treasury Minister Elaine Millar was planning to stand as a Senator. She said she felt the current government had achieved a great deal, but that there was more she wished to achieve within her portfolio.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Tom Binet has also confirmed that would like to return to the Assembly – but has not stated whether he would run as a Deputy or Senator.
Speaking to the JEP in December, he said that he would like to resume his portfolio, but only if his Grouville and St Martin deputy sister, Assistant Health Minister Rose Binet, is also re-elected and gets a place in government.
Key upcoming election dates
- Monday 20 April: Electoral Candidate Nomination period begins
- Wednesday 22 April: Nomination period ends at 5pm
- Monday 27 April: Announcement of candidates
- Sunday 7 June: Public election of all 49 States Members
- Friday 19 June: First meeting of the newly-elected States Assembly and the election of a Chief Minister Designate
