Ferbrache gearing up for presidential battle with GSP

Tuesday 13 October 2020

Deputy Peter Ferbrache has confirmed he will stand against Deputy Gavin St Pier to become Chief Minister in a repeat of 2016's battle for the presidency of Policy & Resources.

The current Policy & Resources President edged out Deputy Ferbrache following a tied vote four years ago and the pair are set to go head-to-head once again for the top job this Friday.

The mind games have already started, with P&R Vice-President Lyndon Trott - one of Deputy St Pier's closest political allies - labelling Deputy Ferbrache a 'chancer'.

"What I do will depend on the leadership [of P&R] and who gets elected to that role," said Deputy Trott of his own plans for committee elections, which start on Friday and end next Wednesday. 

Pictured: P&R Vice-President Lyndon Trott, a former Chief Minister himself, said his colleague Deputy St Pier has proven credentials for the top job. 

"It seems to me that there’s one absolutely outstanding candidate - who not only topped the polls, but who made his intentions clear to the electorate - and there's a potential chancer.

"To be questioning the mandate of someone who topped the polls with 14,000 votes, I am gobsmacked and bewildered."

"It’s almost a case of ‘here we go again’."

Deputy Ferbrache, who finished fifth in the polls with 11,142 votes, has thrown his hat into the ring and is hoping for a different outcome this time around. 

"Without any criticism of anybody, I think there needs to be a change in emphasis," he said of his decision to stand for P&R. 

Pictured: Deputies St Pier and Ferbrache both proved popular with voters. 

With Deputy Trott set to support Deputy St Pier's bid and other Guernsey Partnership of Independents members including Heidi Soulsby and Jonathan Le Tocq unlikely to contest Deputy St Pier's election, Deputy Ferbrache may be the only challenger for the role. 

Deputy Peter Roffey said his interest, at this point in time, lies with Employment & Social Security and/or the States' Trading Supervisory Board, while Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, as per her manifesto, is focussed on securing the presidency of either Economic Development or Education, Sport & Culture. 

"Economic Development and Education are where I have got my interest and I am seeking a leadership position," she told Express.

"I have sufficient experience and skills to be able to lead a committee. We have had a large intake of new deputies and I think they would definitely be looking to us [the more experienced members] to take the leadership roles on those committees."