A VETERAN States Member has confirmed his retirement from politics after more than half a century in public office.
Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache said he had decided against a bid for re-election when the Island goes to the polls this summer, drawing an end to a lengthy political career.
“I have decided to retire from the States, I think the time is right,” he told the JEP. “I feel it’s better to go when a few people want you to stay than to wait until everyone wants you to go, so I’m not going to put my name forward for election in June.”
The representative for St Clement added: “It’s not been an easy decision at all – I’ve greatly enjoyed my time as a States Member, and representing the public is a great privilege, and I’m very conscious of that, but I think the time has come for for change.”
Deputy Bailhache was first elected to the States Assembly in December 1972, representing Grouville for two years until being appointed Solicitor General in January 1975. He later became Attorney General, a position he held for eight years until 1994, and the following year he became Bailiff of Jersey, retiring from the role in 2009 after more than 14 years in post.
In 2011, Deputy Bailhache returned to frontline politics, serving two terms as Senator and holding the role of External Relations Minister before a first attempt at retirement in 2018. After four years outside the Assembly, he returned in 2022 after being elected in St Clement.
He described reaching his 80th birthday earlier this year as “a hint that it’s time to go”, adding that he hoped to devote a little more time to gardening and writing after leaving the political arena.
The decision to retire also signals the end, for the time being at least, of Advance Jersey, the political party which Deputy Bailhache co-founded in 2021. Originally named Jersey Liberal Conservatives, and fielding five candidates at the 2022 election, the party was renamed last year.
Deputy Bailhache said: “I don’t think it’s any secret to say that we have had difficulty in attracting candidates of competence to stand for the party.”
The other serving Member who is part of Advance Jersey, Deputy Malcolm Ferey, heralded the “outstanding” contribution made by his colleague to Advance Jersey, confirming that the party would now be “mothballed” and that he would be running for re-election in St Saviour on 7 June as an independent candidate.
Deputy Ferey said: “I understand why Deputy Bailhache has decided to retire from the States after a long and distinguished career in different guises and after many meaningful contributions.
“His wisdom has always been the yardstick by which debates are measured, regardless of whether or not you agree with his viewpoint.”
Deputy Bailhache expressed the hope that the legal profession would remain represented in the Assembly after the forthcoming election
The Oxford-educated law scholar said: “Hopefully there will be some Jersey lawyers putting their names forward – we certainly need some of them in the States.”
Over the past four years Deputy Bailhache has been unafraid to criticise the government where he has felt it appropriate. He said he had enjoyed his time as a backbencher and hoped future Scrutiny panels would continue holding the government to account.
“I certainly think that the government needs to be held to account for the way in which money is being spent and the failure to get a grip on public expenditure,” he said. “As a number of people have said, we are on an unsustainable course at present, and some future Council of Ministers is going to have to have the courage to acknowledge that and do something about it.”
