Guernsey's Chief Minister consolidates power as top committee are elected unopposed
In a States' meeting that lasted just under an hour, de Sausmarez took her seat on the top bench and no speeches were needed as members did not challenge her nominations for Policy and Resources (P&R).
It means Deputies Gavin St Pier, Charles Parkinson, Steve Falla, and Jonathan Le Tocq will join the top table.
St Pier is a previous president of P&R and topped the poll in the 2020 General Election, he also backed de Sausmarez in Tuesday's vote for Chief Minister.
Parkinson withdrew from that battle for the top job and says it seems to be a more cohesive start to the States after the last political term, which saw deputies often divided.
He explains: "I think the States have indicated they want to move forward in a consensus style, given we were all elected unopposed.
"I have a lot of experience to bring to P&R, so I will seek to help everywhere I can.
"People think of me as a fiscal policy specialist, but actually my interests are very wide."
Le Tocq is expected to continue in his role as Lead Member for External Relations - a job he has held for the past five years.
Meanwhile, Falla, who was the fourth most popular candidate in last month's election, is in his second term as a deputy.
All of de Sausmarez's nominations were seconded by Deputy Mark Helyar, who she defeated in the P&R presidency vote on Tuesday.
Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee:
Lindsay de Sausmarez (President)
Gavin St Pier
Charles Parkinson
Jonathan Le Tocq
Steve Falla
Their briefs, including who will serve as de Sausmarez's Vice President, have not yet been announced.
Deputy Neil Inder lodged an amendment to allow politicians to question each of the candidates as part of a hustings.
However, the motion failed, only receiving the backing of 11 deputies.
Speaking after the States Meeting ended, Inder said: "We've effectively had a coronation today. We've had one member proposing all four. There were no speeches and no questions or answers.
"At the moment, we are in a sort of love-in period where everything's fantastic.
"We will get into far more scrutiny once people actually understand that their job is to scrutinise."
If Tuesday was de Sausmarez's coronation, Wednesday saw the start of her consolidation of power.
All of her nominations are, in some ways, political allies. They are fairly progressive and big political figures on the island who have lots of experience.
They're also popular - each of them finished within the top ten of last month's election voting results.
Right now, the respect for de Sausmarez, as well as the authority she carries, seems to know few bounds.
However, there are contrasting views on some of the big policy areas within the new senior committee, especially fiscal policy which is the group's main mandate.
For example, Parkinson will no doubt want to use his position to push ahead with a review into corporation tax policy, whereas Le Tocq was an architect of the GST+ package.
So, it's not just in the Assembly where De Sausmarez's 'unity' status will be tested, but in the island's top political committee which she now leads.
The P&R members can also no longer put themselves forward for other committee positions, so all eyes will be on the committee presidency elections, which will take place on Friday (4 July).
There will be 13 to decide, including the newly formed Housing Committee, with many expected to be fiercely contested.
The remaining members of each of these committees will then be decided on Monday 7 July.
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ITV News
22 minutes ago
- ITV News
Who are the runners and riders for Guernsey's next committee presidents?
The next big bit of business facing Guernsey's freshly elected deputies is to choose who, other than Policy and Resources President Lindsay de Sausmarez, will hold the balance of power in the new States. The island has 13 political committees that devise policy on everything from housing to law enforcement. They are led by presidents, who are seen as the public face of their decision-making. That can come at a cost. In the last election, four committee presidents lost their seats, including the President for Education, Sport and Culture, Andrea Dudley-Owen. It's believed that the Policy and Resources Committee will look to propose certain candidates for top jobs, which, if successful, will further strengthen their grip on the Assembly as a whole. Politicians will vote for the positions on Friday (4 July) and while there could be some surprises, here is who we expect to stand in the different races: Economic Development Even before the election, the race to succeed Neil Inder as President of Economic Development was well in motion. Sasha Kazantseva-Miller has made clear her desire to succeed her colleague and is the clear favourite. Serving as Inder's vice-president in the last term, she is well-positioned to get the job. However, she may face competition from a key proponent of the offshore wind farm, Chris Blin, who is also targeting the role. With the departure of Carl Meerveld, who was the chair of the group that led on the project, Blin will consider his commitment to what he describes as the "biggest economic enabler the island has ever seen" as fundamental to the office. Marc Laine, a long-established businessman, is also eyeing up a bid. Education, Sport and Culture It's referred to as the 'poisoned chalice' of Guernsey politics. So much so, you have to go back 20 years to see the last time a president from the committee was re-elected. Aidan Matthews, who is in his second term as a deputy, is looking to avoid the same fate. In his manifesto, he wants to repair the relationship between private colleges and the Government. A returning deputy at the election, Sarah Hansmann-Rouxel, is also interested in leading the committee. She wants to reform Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support and modernise the Education Law. Despite ruling it out on air, I've also heard rumours that Guernsey's National Education Union (NEU) representative and teacher Paul Montague is now interested in leading this committee. He finished higher in the poll than any of the other newly elected deputies, so he could be a popular choice. Employment and Social Security We may well see an uncontested election for this presidency with Tina Bury looking to succeed Peter Roffey for a place on the top bench. According to her manifesto, she wants to look again at long-term care funding, something that dominated discussion towards the back end of the last States' term. Environment and Infrastructure In another potentially uncontested election, Adrian Gabriel will be seen as the frontrunner to succeed de Sausmarez as E&I President. Serving as her vice-president in the last term, he wants to introduce incentives for private developments and enable modular construction options for housing. Health and Social Care With another outgoing president, Health and Social Care will see a new name at the helm. It appears this may well be a battle between two deputies - Marc Leadbeater and George Oswald. Leadbeater served as Al Brouard's vice-president in the last term. He's long supported a relaxation in restrictions around cannabis. Oswald, another newcomer to the States, worked as a doctor and co-founded the Medical Specialist Group. Housing Housing is one of Guernsey's most pressing issues but, as of yet, there is nobody desperately seeking the presidency of the newest States' committee. There is talk of Steve Williams being interested in becoming its first president. According to his manifesto, he wants to review all of the large housing projects and see how they can progress faster. Given that the committee was her brainchild, Kazantseva-Miller may well be seen as the person who should lead it. Home Affairs The sitting Home Affairs president, Rob Prow, lost his seat at the last election. His vice-president in the last Assembly, Simon Vermeulen, is positioning himself to take over from Prow. An experienced States' member, he may well receive a lot of backing. He could be challenged by new deputy Jayne Ozanne, who finished 28th in the public poll at the election. Scrutiny Management Committee The last President, Yvonne Burford, has decided not to put her name forward again. Instead, newcomer Andy Sloan has said he's interested in the job. He was the former chief economist to the States and served on the Fiscal Policy Panel. Father of the House, John Gollop, is also an interested party. A member for nearly 30 years, his experience could win the backing of his colleagues. Development and Planning Authority John Gollop is also interested in serving here if he isn't successful elsewhere. Burford, who finished second in the poll behind De Sausmarez, is also keen to take on the role. States Assembly and Constitution Committee Following the ousting of Carl Meerveld, a new deputy will take on the role of managing the rules and procedures of the Assembly. Burford says she may well stand for this job. She could face competition from Sarah Hannsman-Rouxel and potentially John Gollop. States Trading and Supervisory Board Despite making his candidacy a significant part of his manifesto, it's been reported that Neil Inder may not fancy this position but that could change. Following his unsuccessful bid to become President of Policy and Resources, Mark Helyar is also looking to stand. There will also be elections for head of the Overseas Aid and Development Commission, and Transport Licensing Authority, but members who are interested in those roles seem to be keeping their cards close to their chest for now. Following the committee president elections, all the other committee members will be decided on Monday (7 July). Then, they will all take their seats in the first meeting of the new States on Tuesday 15 July. Want the inside track on the key issues that will shape Guernsey's Election this June? Listen to Guernsey Votes, an ITV Channel podcast packed with expert guests, local insight and analysis you can trust...
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
All the new Edinburgh polling places proposed as fewer schools to be used
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A new polling place near Edinburgh Airport and another to avoid staff working in a portakabin with no flush toilet are among over a dozen the city is planning to set up. The city is undertaking a review of its polling places and electoral districts, which it does every five years. Residents can comment on the proposed changes, which look to ensure polling places are best serving their communities, until 18 July. A total of 14 new polling places are proposed, with some being entirely new, and others representing polling places that are set to stop running. Some polling districts are set to change their boundaries, but retain their polling places. A spokesperson for Edinburgh Council said: 'We have a legal responsibility to review our polling arrangements every five years. This is to encourage and support turnout at elections, whilst also addressing issues such as accessibility and capacity. 'We'd encourage all residents to engage with the public consultation and make their views heard.' The differences in polling places listed below are versus the ones used at the 2024 General Election. Some polling places changed between the council's last review and then. The write-up also contains details on the new polling places set to be established. Almond ward In Almond ward, several new voting districts are proposed, with two in the stretch of land between Edinburgh Airport and Cammo, one along Turnhouse Road and one in Queensferry. The new districts near the airport cover the site of a massive residential development planned for the city in coming years, which will see up to 11,000 new homes built. No polling place has been determined for the site of the new development, but for the Turnhouse Road district, one is proposed at Turnhouse Golf Club. 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In a report, Edinburgh Council said the generator noise at the temporary cabin was distracting for voters, that the temporary facility was expensive, and that it gave 'minimal space' for voter privacy. Drum Brae/Gyle ward In Drum Brae/Gyle, one merged polling district is proposed for voters currently going to the Lothian Valuation Joint Board building and a mobile library to cast ballots. The polling place for the district is proposed to be at Forrester Rugby Club, with the changes intended to avoid use of the council's new mobile library vehicles for elections due to their lack of toilets. And, a new polling district is suggested in the south of the ward near South Gyle, where it is recommended that voters also go to Forrester Rugby Club to vote. Forth ward In Forth ward, the council is proposing that some voters in Newhaven cast ballots at Newhaven Parish Church instead of the current Heart of Newhaven. Inverleith ward No changes to polling places are suggested in Inverleith ward. 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The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Starmer vows to reflect on welfare bill fiasco after ‘tough last few days'
Update: Date: 2025-07-03T07:58:55.000Z Title: Keir Starmer Content: Good morning. Tomorrow it will be a year since the general election, and on Saturday it will be one from the day when started forming a government. It has not been a good week to celebrate the anniversary. In a long interview with the BBC's Nick Robinson last night, only some of which has now been broadcast (the rest is coming later), Starmer defended Rachel Reeves, his chancellor, saying that she would be in office 'for a very long time to come' and that an undisclosed personal matter, not politics, was the reason why she was in tears at PMQs yesterday. As Graeme Wearden reports on his business live blog, UK government borrowing costs are down a bit this morning. Yesterday they rose after PMQs as bond traders responded to speculation that Reeves might be sacked, and replaced by a chancellor less committed to fiscal discipline. But that does not mean the political crisis for the government is over. In his BBC interview, Starmer said he needed to 'reflect' on what went wrong this week, when the government had to abandon the main thrust of its welfare bill about 90 minutes before MPs were due to vote on it. He said: I'm not going to pretend the last few days have been easy, they've been tough. I'm the sort of person that then wants to reflect on that, to ask myself what do we need to ensure we don't get into a situation like that again, and we will go through that process. But I also know what we will do and that's we will come through it stronger. Labour MPs would love to see the government 'come through it stronger' but with some tough decisions just postponed, and autumn tax rises all but inevitable, that won't be easy. This morning Starmer wants to focus on something else – his 10-year health plan. Here is Denis Campbell's preview story. Starmer will be speaking about this at a press conference this morning. Here is the agenda for the day: 9.30am: Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, gives a speech at a Local Government Association conference. 10.30am: and Wes Streeting, the health secretary, announce the 10-year NHS plan at an event in London. After 11.30am: Streeting is expected to make a statement to MPs about the 10-year NHS plan. 3.45pm: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. (The usual morning one is not happening because of the PM's event.) Afternoon: Peers vote on the order banning Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation. If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can't read all the messages BTL, but if you put 'Andrew' in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @ The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can't promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
