Attempt to force early debate on P&R confidence vote fails

Tuesday 07 November 2023

An attempt to prioritise a debate on a motion of no confidence in Policy and Resources before the budget debate has failed.

Deputy Carl Meerveld argued that "the axe shouldn't be left hanging" over P&R during an important debate on 2024's budget.

Arguments were made that the very fact a debate was being held on Deputy Meerveld's motion at all meant there was political will to have a discussion about P&R's position.

Deputy Charles Parkinson lodged the original motion of no confidence (MONC) after P&R failed to get its preferred tax plan through the States earlier this year. After P&R refused to resign, the motion was elevated to the Presiding Officer and a date was set for the motion to be debated fully in the Assembly.

Deputy Meerveld subsequently tried to get the motion debated today (7 November) after successfully getting the rules of procedure suspended so a debate could be held on whether or not to bring the debate on the MONC forward. 

The President of P&R, Deputy Peter Ferbrache stood to argue that if the debate on the MONC was brought forward "it'll be unlikely that any budget will be debated before December - that's the practicality of it".

Deputy Meerveld's motion lost 24 to 12, with four deputies abstaining.

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