"The next four years ain't gonna be easy"

Thursday 08 October 2020

Deputy Neil Inder expects tonight's result will reflect badly on the island's newly-formed political parties, while Deputy Mary Lowe thinks the new groups have thrown the election into a "turmoil".

The incumbent deputies, who are hoping to be elected again, popped into Beau Sejour this evening to check how the count was progressing.

A total of 119 candidates are hoping to be elected - 29 of whom are currently States Members and nine of whom have previously served as deputies.

However, Deputy Inder predicted that many of the current deputies might not do so well this time around.

"I suspect, and I've suspected for quite a while, that we're going to lose 10 or 11 of the incumbents," he said. "And I'll be surprised if there are more than 15 [successful] candidates from all the parties combined. But whatever happens, we will have to press restart and we will all have to get along. The next four years ain't gonna be easy."

Pictured: The election count began at 09:00 this morning.

But Deputy Mary Lowe was a bit more uncertain about how the results might pan out.

"I have no idea about the result whatsoever," she said. "I think parties have thrown this election into a bit of turmoil but it's difficult to judge.

"The biggest party of independents is called the States of Guernsey, so if you want to be all independent you can just be the States of Guernsey, you don't need to separate yourself and cause a division before you start."

Although nerves have been running high among candidates at Beau Sejour today, the two deputies were feeling fairly relaxed about it all.

"I've been fine all day," Deputy Lowe said. "It's exciting - I love elections!"

While Deputy Inder added: "What will be, will be. If there are 38 candidates better than me, it is what it is."

Pictured: Thousands of ballots will be counted before the results are announced.

However, the pair have very different plans for passing the time ahead of the result. Deputy Lowe was hoping to return to Beau Sejour closer to the time of the announcement, while Deputy Inder had other plans.

"I'm going to go for a coffee, go for a curry, take the dog out on the common again and pretend I'm going to stay up but probably snooze on the couch by 23:30," he said.

The result announcement will be slightly later than expected and is unlikely to happen before midnight.

Follow Express for updates...

Pictured top: Deputies Neil Inder and Mary Lowe.