Jersey Assembly has 'broken atmosphere'

The government has been criticised for a lack of transparency and accountability

"The atmosphere in this assembly is quite broken. It’s not a happy place at the moment," said Constable Karen Shenton-Stone.

She said the optimism she felt following Jersey’s 2022 election had turned to disappointment.

A year of disagreements and tension amongst ministers saw the resignations of Assistant Chief Minister Constable Andy Jehan and the island’s most senior civil servant, Suzanne Wylie.

And now the Chief Minister, Deputy Kristina Moore, is facing a vote of no confidence brought by her former Infrastructure Minister, Deputy Tom Binet, who has criticised the culture within her government and accused her of a "woeful lack of leadership".

Constable Karen Shenton-Stone said the vote could be a wake up call for the government

"There’s got to be a change," said Ms Shenton-Stone, the Chair of the Privileges and Procedures Committee, which is responsible, amongst other things, for ensuring States members adhere to a code of conduct.

"Say this government stays in: they have to really, really listen and see that there has been a vote of no confidence - something has gone seriously wrong.

"And they’ve got to wake up and think, ‘we’ve got to live by example,’ and ‘for heaven’s sake, let’s pull together and get on with each other.'"

John Henwood said the chief minister needed to do more to set the right tone across the States Assembly

Political commentator John Henwood agrees that the chief minister should take responsibility for setting the atmosphere within the States Assembly.

But he does not believe Deputy Moore is doing enough to set the right tone.

"I think, with respect to her, she probably thinks she is, but I think not very many people would agree," he said.

"There doesn’t seem to be a real understanding of what leadership is.

"As I understand it, there is no collegiate feel about the Council of Ministers, and that can only really come from the top."

Mr Henwood said the government has not been as transparent and accountable as it had promised it would be, citing continued uncertainty over the total cost of plans for hospital facilities on multiple sites as one of a number of "significant issues about which we have not been told, when perhaps we should".

And having kept a close eye on Jersey politics since the 1960s, he said "it’s hard to think of a time other than in crisis, like Covid, when it’s been worse".

Deputy Kirsten Morel said a successful vote could lead to instability

Meanwhile, as discussions between politicians continue behind the scenes ahead of next week’s vote on her future, members of Ms Moore’s top team have publicly expressed their loyalty.

"The idea of upending an entire government because somebody doesn’t like somebody else’s style is a really poor place to be," said Deputy Kirsten Morel, Deputy Chief Minister, who warns a vote to topple the island’s leadership would lead to instability at a time when Jersey is facing a number of challenges.

"As a Council of Ministers we’re doing a really good job in moving forward, putting things right from previous governments that haven’t been done.

"This does take time. I believe you’re going to see in 2024 an enormous lot of delivery taking place."

Meanwhile, Deputy Lucy Stephenson, an Assistant Chief Minister, said Mr Binet had been a “destabilising influence” within government.

"I think if they’re able to move on without that there it could be a positive thing,” she said.

"Every chief minister has faced a vote of no confidence at some point.

"I have no doubt she will build back stronger from it."

'Asked for change'

But while some islanders agree the unrest currently gripping Jersey’s States Assembly is the result of personality clashes, others believe the island’s unique political system is to blame.

"What the island asked for in 2022, they asked for change," said Rowland Huelin, an Assistant Chief Minister in John Le Fondre’s government, who favours a move towards party politics.

"The change they got was putting different people in the same seats, with the same processes, expecting a different outcome. That clearly has not happened.

“And all that’s going to happen if Deputy Binet is successful is have different people in the same seats with the same processes expecting a different outcome.

"It will not happen.

"And I’m afraid this is going to continue until the island is prepared to invite a group of people with a common cause and a common manifesto to be judged on that manifesto and be ready to govern immediately."

A comfortable victory for Ms Moore could help unify the government and give it a renewed mandate to go forward with its plan, said Susana Rowles

Mr Huelin said: "Who is going to benefit from this vote of no confidence? I would suggest the 103,000 people in the island won’t benefit.

"It’s really like watching Lord of the Flies."

Political commentator Susana Rowles agreed the confidence vote "doesn’t really help anybody", and added the situation would do little to boost low engagement in local politics.

That said, she believes a comfortable victory for Ms Moore could help to unify the government, by providing it with a renewed mandate to push through its plans, although a narrow win, she feels, could knock the chief minister’s confidence.

"And it may also have an impact around the table," says Mrs Rowles.

"Some of the people that may be more politically ambitious may smell blood."

Meanwhile, Mr Henwood feels that whatever happens, Ms Moore’s time at the top will be tainted by next week’s debate.

"Votes of no confidence are always damaging. Even the winner is damaged," he said.

"I think it would be extremely hard for the current chief minister to be anything other than a lame duck for the next two years or so after a bruising debate."