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Research gathered through focus groups, friendship triads, and a telephone survey has fed into the development of 'Future Guernsey' - a new political movement.
Intended to "activate decisive government and deliver policies essential to the long-term prosperity of all islands" the movement was officially launched on Thursday evening.
Headed up by Chairman John Hardie, Chief Executive Lindsey Freeman, and Political Adviser Gavin St Pier, the organisation has been set up ahead of the 2025 Island Wide Election with a view to creating policies that can develop into a manifesto for candidates to get behind.
While it is not yet a political party, Mr Hardie told Express that will be next because their research has shown that it's what a majority of people want.
"It's unlikely to be successful if we have just another quickly assembled group of people coming forward weeks before the election period starts, so we have to very deliberately build something people of Guernsey can have reason to believe can be this enduring institution that is worth joining and taking part."
The research Mr Hardie references was conducted in August this year, with four focus groups broken out by age category (19–29, 30–44, 45–64, 65+), two 'friendship triads' with young people aged 16-18, and a telephone survey of around 250 Guernsey residents.
Pictured (l-r): Lindsey Freeman, Gavin St Pier, John Hardie.
The research asked them whether they supported political parties, with 43% supporting the idea and opposition standing at 23%.
Future Guernsey’s Political Adviser Mr St Pier said his experience from within the States is also feeding in to this research and the development of the organisation.
“Over the coming months, we will create a policy-focussed manifesto and encourage a new generation of Deputies who act with integrity and ability, to pledge their support for Future Guernsey. Most likely, that will require the formation of a political party, so the electorate can see who is committed to Future Guernsey’s policy plan.
“We envisage that Deputies will retain the right to vote independently on issues outside of our policy platform and we have chosen this approach because we support
independent thinkers, but know that – without clear, defined agreement on key policy areas - our island’s government ends up in a cycle of inertia.
“We cannot afford another wasted term of government rehashing the same old arguments. The time for change is now.”
Communications expert, Ms Freeman said their research also showed a worrying level of voter apathy and alienation that she thinks Future Guernsey will address
“Particularly concerning is the lack of knowledge about the local political environment, an issue which we know translates to voter apathy. We risk losing swathes of the population at the next election, unless we make the political system better understood and, therefore, more accessible.
“One of Future Guernsey’s main aims is to do exactly that, by setting out a clearly defined, research-based policy offering. This is what islanders have asked for, and what we will deliver. In doing so, we will also attempt to make the system more accountable, so voters will know what they are voting for when they go to the polls next June, something the research also highlighted as being a significant need."
Pictured (l-r): The Board of Future Guernsey John Hardie, Jane St Pier, Mike Leonard, and Rob Shepherd.
Future Guernsey is a not-for-profit organisation, limited by guarantee (LBG) company, registered and based in Guernsey.
Future Guernsey has a Board of Directors, a Chief Executive and a Political Adviser.
Pictured top: John Hardie speaking at the launch event.
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