Latest news with #MarkHelyar
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
De Sausmarez to be Guernsey's first female chief minister
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez has been elected as Guernsey's first female president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R). She beat Deputies Jonathan Le Tocq and Mark Helyar in the election after being proposed by Deputy Tina Bury and seconded by Deputy Marc Lainé. She received 22 votes from deputies in a secret ballot to become the island's new chief minister. As part of her pitch for the job she promised to review the island's tax system before the end of the year. De Sausmarez said when it came to issues like the island's population, there needed to be a better approach to policy co-ordination from the States' top committee."We need P&R to do some high level strategic planning, rather than constantly firefighting," she said. In his pitch for the job Deputy Jonathan le Tocq said: "I believe strongly in consensus, not combat and I believe the presidency of policy and resources should be held by someone who can unite, not divide." Former vice-president of P&R Mark Helyar received 11 votes, while Le Tocq got seven. Helyar said as P&R president he would ensure the introduction of GST to stabilise the island's economy. Last year the States agreed to introduce tax reforms including a 5% GST, lower income tax rates for earnings under £30,000 and social security reform, to start in 2027.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
How does Guernsey's top politician get elected?
Guernsey's top politician will be decided by a secret ballot of deputies on is expected that three people will stand for the role of president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R), although anyone can be nominated from the floor. Deputies Lindsay de Sausmarez, Mark Helyar and Jonathan Le Tocq have all expressed an interest in the role. Candidates need to be proposed and seconded by one of the 40 members of the States of Deliberation. All of the candidates will then go up to the top bench to make speeches and answer questions before the secret ballot. The proposer of each candidate can make a five-minute speech, while the candidates themselves can speak for 10 the speeches, candidates will face a series of questions from States members which will last for an hour, if there are four candidates for the position - 15 minutes per candidate. Who may be standing? Poll-topper Lindsay de Sausmarez said she was standing for the role after being encouraged by her said: "I think the electorate has sent a message loud and clear that they want to leave behind the factionalism and division which has characterised the the last couple of assemblies. "I am a candidate who can unite the assembly and deliver on that request." Meanwhile, former Chief Minister Jonathan Le Tocq has promised that, if he is elected, he will build a government of "all talents" by bringing deputies Parkinson, St Pier and Helyar onto P&R. Deputy Mark Helyar said his focus would be on controlling States spending and, if elected, he would want to keep Deputy Le Tocq on the board to deal with external relations, as he had during the last nine years. On Sunday, Deputy Charles Parkinson who had previously expressed interest in the roll, announced he was pulling out of the race and backing de Sausmarez.
BBC News
21-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Race to become next Guernsey chief minister begins
The race to become Guernsey's top politician is under way, with deputies announcing their intention to chief minister Jonathan Le Tocq has said he would be willing to run for president of the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) "to offer a degree of stability".Several candidates told the BBC they backed Le Tocq because of his experience in the role and ability to "bring people together".Deputy Mark Helyar said before the election campaign he would seek the top job, with the aim of controlling States spending, while Deputy Charles Parkinson confirmed he would make a tilt to advocate for a change to the island's corporate tax policy. Le Tocq said: "The culture needs to change right at the beginning of this term, I think I will do my best to try and work a coalition together of all types of people." Helyar became the vice-president of P&R in November 2022 after Deputy Heidi Soulsby resigned from the resigned ahead of a successful vote of no confidence in the committee in 2023. While expressing an intention to run before the election, Helyar did not answer when asked by the BBC on Friday whether he was still planning to vote of no confidence in P&R was led by Deputy Charles Parkinson, who finished third in the polls with 9,294 votes and said he felt he had a mandate to stand for for P&R president. Last year the States agreed a package of tax reforms including a 5% GST, a lower rate of income tax for earnings under £30,000 and reforms to social security contributions. Whether elected to P&R or not, Parkinson has said he would look to challenge the policy and attempt to get more money from local companies through reform to the coporate tax regime. Outgoing chief minister Lyndon Trott warned against changing the island's zero-10 regime, which means some companies pay no corporation tax and others pay 10%. Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez topped the polls with more than 10,000 votes, but she has not commented on whether she would stand for P&R Yvonne Burford, who came second in the polls, has said she wanted to be on P&R, but not as its the other possible contenders, 2020 poll-topper Deputy Gavin St Pier stood for P&R president, but lost out to Deputy Peter Ferbrache in Guernsey leader St Pier has already done the job between 2016 and 2020, but has not said whether he would seek it again, leaving the door open. After a short time on the Health and Social Care Committee (HSC) previously, some deputies the BBC has spoken suggested may seek a role as its has also been interest in that position from its vice-president Marc Leadbeater and deputy-elect Dr George Oswald.
