Top politician 'could be removed' from office

If the motion of no confidence is successful, Deputy Peter Ferbrache says he will become a backbencher

Deputy Peter Ferbrache, the top politician in Guernsey and president of Policy and Resources (P&R), said there was a “realistic chance” he could be removed from office next week.

A motion of no confidence in P&R was lodged in November after it failed to get its tax reform plans, including a GST, approved by deputies.

The debate on the motion of no confidence was adjourned on 25 November, with senior States members branding it a “pantomime”.

If the motion is successful, Mr Ferbrache said he would not stand for a seat on other committees - and would serve from the backbenches.

'Close vote'

Mr Ferbrache said “we could lose the vote, it will be a close vote and there is a chance we will lose – but I am not conceding we will lose it”.

Mr Ferbrache invited deputies to a meeting before the motion of no confidence debate resumes on Wednesday, in an attempt to firm up support, stating he would not resign.

At the start of the debate on the motion the Vice-President of P&R Deputies Mark Helyar and David Mahoney announced their intention to resign from P&R.

Their replacements will need to be elected if P&R survive the motion.

Mr Ferbrache said he knew who he wanted to fill the jobs, but that the names would be announced at the latest on Monday.

During the last debate on a motion of no confidence, Environment and Infrastructure President Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez alleged some of P&R’s behaviour had bordered on “abusive”.

Mr Ferbrache refuted those allegations and said: “This mantra which has grown that I have fostered an atmosphere of bullying - I refute absolutely.”

He also said he took objection to the suggestion that his committee had “lost the public” - an assertion which was made during the debate.

Mr Ferbrache said he had been stopped by numerous members of the public to be told that they supported him, and did not want to see him lose his job as P&R president.

When asked whether his heart was still in the job, he said: “It is if people want me to be”.