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Many Deputies have declared whether or not they intend to stand in next year's election in an unusual turn of events during this month's States meeting.
Due to rules over the declaration of special interests, Deputies were yesterday asked to declare whether they would be standing for election in 2020, and whether they would do so as a member of a party or other political association.
The HM Comptroller said that would be necessary before States members were able to vote on the amount election candidates would be able to spend promoting any organisation they stand under in 2020.
A dozen current States members declared that they either intended to or were likely to stand in Guernsey's first-ever island-wide election in June 2020.
The most notable were Home Affairs President Mary Lowe, Education, Sport & Culture President Matt Fallaize and Economic Development President Charles Parkinson.
Pictured: Deputy Parkinson has said he would like to be Economic Development President again next term.
Carl Meerveld and Marc Leadbeater confirmed their intention to stand under a political group - the Islanders Association - whilst 2020 Association founders Peter Ferbrache, Joe Mooney and Jan Kuttelwascher declared their membership of that group.
Most members sought to distance themselves from political associations, with some noteworthy exceptions.
Deputy Heidi Soulsby - who was one of a few Deputies linked to a rumoured recent meeting between a group of politicians and other interested parties - sought to make it clear that she was not a member of a party "secret or otherwise".
Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq echoed Deputy Soulsby's comments, while Deputy Gavin St Pier said he had nothing he needed to declare to date.
Pictured: Earlier in the States debate, Islanders Association Founder Carl Meerveld claimed that some Deputies were forming "secret societies" behind closed doors instead of doing so in view of the wider public.
Deputy Lyndon Trott said he was not a member of any political association, "but I might be", should he decides to stand again in 2020.
And although she said she had no intention of standing, Deputy Emilie McSwiggan was the member who perhaps shed the most light on the possible creation of new political groupings.
She declared that she "had been involved in several conversations" and if a group emerges "that I look the like of, I will most definitely support it."
Very few ruled out standing next year - since the request for declarations only concerned those with plans to stand - however Environment & Infrastructure President Barry Brehaut reiterated that he would not be.
"I have no intention of standing and I will not be standing," he told the States.
Likely/intend to stand:
Mark Dorey, Victoria Oliver, Marc Leadbeater, Charles Parkinson, Rhian Tooley, Carl Meerveld, Matt Fallaize, Mary Lowe, Jeremy Smithies, David De Lisle, Andrea Dudley-Owen, Neil Inder.
Not yet decided/too early to say:
Peter Ferbrache, Gavin St Pier, Al Brouard, Jennifer Merrett, Lyndon Trott, Lindsay de Sausmarez, Heidi Soulsby, Jonathan Le Tocq, Rob Prow, Peter Roffey, Joe Mooney, Jan Kuttelwascher, Sarah Hansmann Rouxel, Dawn Tindall.
Unlikely/do not intend to stand:
Emilie McSwiggan, Barry Brehaut, Paul Le Pelley, Michelle Le Clerc*, Lester Queripel*, Laurie Queripel*, Barry Paint*.
Not known:
Richard Graham, John Gollop, Jane Stephens, Shane Langlois.
*Deputies Le Clerc, Queripel, Queripel and Paint have previously declared on record that they do not intend to stand for re-election in 2020.
Up to £6000 expenditure per candidate, £500 grant and parties can spend 50% more than candidates. That's how it played out
— tothevale (@tothevale) December 12, 2019
Political parties will be able to spend 50% more than candidates.
For more information on the States decision on election campaign spending click HERE.
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