And so, with exactly six weeks to go, the main battle lines around this year’s Budget are being drawn.
The first thing to note is that no one is arguing the problems are easy to solve; but the debate is really over how far this Budget goes in solving them, and what is left in the in-tray of the next administration, which will get its ticket to ride, via the ballot box, next June.
The current Council of Ministers argues it will be passing on the baton with the island in a stable position; yes, big decisions will be needed around the cost of the public sector, the way we pay for health care, and how we afford the substantial investment required in our infrastructure. But, they will say, much has been done to make sure that Jersey looks forward from a stable footing.
Their critics argue they are just passing on the problems. That both the current Council, and its predecessors, have failed to curb continual growth in the size of the public sector, and the necessary tough decisions haven’t yet been taken to ensure the island is living within its means – which is why, they argue, there is a proposal to substantially reduce the amount the island puts away each year into the critical social security fund; so the spending can continue.
And it’s that specific proposal which is proving to be a lightning rod for criticism of Budget 2026-2029; as we report today, Deputy Sir Philip Bailhache is planning to amend the Budget in such a way as to force his colleagues to confront these issues directly on the floor of the Assembly.
Some will approach that debate on the basis of deeply-held philosophical beliefs; some will approach it with simple financial practicality; and still others will weaponise it to further personal ambition. That’s politics, and it doesn’t diminish the fact that Deputy Bailhache is right to bring the debate, and make sure his colleagues express their views in the hope the electorate are listening carefully to what they say.
Expect to hear the words “plundering” and “raiding” to be used a lot in this context, and perhaps even “robbery”; and to hear words like “stable,” “considered” and “prudent” in equally firm response. Which narrative our elected representatives choose to believe in the second week of December will do much to set the tone for at least the rest of this political term, and perhaps even the next.
