Adjourned no-confidence debate branded 'pantomime'

Two deputies announced their intention to resign at the start of the debate on their futures

A debate on a motion of no confidence in Guernsey's Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) was compared by a senior States member to a "pantomime" after politicians failed to reach a conclusion.

Former Chief Minister Lyndon Trott also said it looked as though “States members don’t know what they’re doing”.

Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney, P&R committee members, had announced their intention to resign from the committee at the start of the debate, which came after the defeat of its plans for a GST and tax reform.

During the debate, P&R members also defended claims their behaviour had been "bullying".

Lyndon Trott compared the debate to a pantomime

Environment and Infrastructure Committee President Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez alleged there had been bullying behaviours from P&R in the past and that was why she supported the motion of no confidence.

Deputy Lindsay said: “What marks this P&R apart from their predecessors and the other committees is their tone and manner, which can be viscerally aggressive, sometimes to the point of abusiveness.”

Deputy Mark Helyar said he had not heard any evidence of those behaviours in the States debate but had “heard a lot of people using emotive words”.

He said he was “very easy to work with” and that “some people don’t like that people from the professional world are direct and assertive and they don’t like their views being challenged”.

The debate itself, which failed to reach a resolution, also came under fire.

Rob Prow, Home Affairs president said: “Every single States member needs to look at themselves; late amendments, five days on the budget, long speeches, it’s not good.”

While Mr Trott said the last debate had felt like a “pantomime” which made it look like “States members don’t know what they’re doing”.

He said the delay was "unfair to everyone".

He said: "[It is unfair] to those who face the motion of no confidence, it’s unfair to those bringing it, unfair to those participating in the debate and our community who expect some certainty over matters of this type.

“We’ve had never-ending procrastination and delay and, frankly, it drives me mad," he added.

The debate is due to be continued on 13 December.