Deputy selected as observer of UK general election

Deputy Heidi Soulsby said she would be meeting with candidates and officials in the UK

Guernsey's deputy chief minister has been selected as an independent observer of the UK general election.

Deputy Heidi Soulsby said she would be meeting with candidates and officials before visiting polling stations on election day as part of a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) mission.

She will then be asked to prepare a report detailing her findings.

She said electoral observation had "an important role in enabling citizens to have confidence in the democratic process".

'Honoured and excited'

The CPA said observers must be a sitting politician and go through specific training on the roles and responsibilities of independent observation missions.

Ms Soulsby said she was "honoured and excited" to be involved.

"Independent electoral observation has an important role in enabling citizens to have confidence in the democratic process as well as to help make improvements for the future," she said.

"The CPA provided an election observation mission for the Guernsey election in 2020 and recommendations provided in their report will result in changes for next year’s general election.

"I am honoured and excited to be able to play a part in such an important process and to observe what is a significant event for any democratic nation."

Simon Ross, the CPA's Guernsey branch secretary, said: "The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association has a high reputation for its election observer missions.

"One of the advantages of Guernsey's membership of the CPA is the opportunity it gives to the States' Assembly to participate in major events such as this."