REVIEW: If not this way, then which way?

Tuesday 13 June 2023

REVIEW: If not this way, then which way?

Tuesday 13 June 2023

When it comes to politics, if it doesn't have to be this way then what way could it be? That was the question being tackled last night, where conflict, compassion and behaviour patterns were analysed and called out.

A noticeable divide has developed in local politics over the past decade, with the toxicity observed becoming ever more apparent to political observers during the 2016/20 States and the current States.

There is no clear consensus on how to tackle this, with the island's senior politicians unable to agree on where the issues actually lie.

At last night's Women in Public Life event, two of the island's most senior female politicians sat on the panel, with another in the audience - along with other deputies, and members of the public.

Between them, Deputies Heidi Soulsby and Andrea Dudley-Owen cited the States Code of Conduct, island wide voting and the loss of parish districts, the lack of training given to new States members, youth engagement, peer pressure and of course media representation among the areas at fault.

Hold on! Laura from Bailiwick Express is up. She says it can be difficult to get a direct response from the majority of deputies, because journalists have to go through the States comms team. She adds that faceless 'spokespersons' means that messages get lost
— Women in Public Life Guernsey (@womenpubliclife) June 12, 2023

None of this is new information - seasoned States-watchers will know that the Code of Conduct is a blunt force which can miss its intended target as often as hit it. With this term of government seeing the suspension of a member for a year - which in reality seemed to have little impact on the way the government runs - the code of conduct itself is ripening nicely for a review.

The idea of a Code of Behaviour instead is an interesting one. I'll be compelling to see what may develop out of that suggestion.

The point was raised early in the evening that we get the government we vote for. Have we allowed toxicity to run riot in our States by choosing those who have previously exhibited this behaviour. Maybe.

Island Wide Voting was meant to change our elected representation for the better, but Deputy Soulsby doesn't think it has worked. Both she and Deputy Dudley-Owen feel they've lost that connection with their previous districts and, through that the connection, some of the people who voted them in to office.

They also agreed that engaging the young people of the Bailiwick is key to the Bailiwick's future. Some of the questions on the night were posed by students, showing that there is engagement there, and if we can just tap into it then maybe there could be a better way in the future.

women in public life

Pictured: Compassionate politics was the key theme of the night.

In all, I found it to be an enjoyable and inspiring night.

Seeing Deputy Soulsby and Dudley-Owen agreeing on some aspects of political life and how to better it for the future of the island was interesting. Quite often on the opposite side of debates, they were united in the problems caused by Island Wide Voting, the need for engagement of younger voters and potential politicians of the future, and the need for new deputies to engage in training that is offered to them.

Most importantly, this was politics on an accessible level. It wasn't all high brow - these were conversational exchanges. And it wasn't all women either - there were quite a few men present (hugely outnumbered by women though).

Pictured (l-r): Jennifer Nadel, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, Perrin Carey, Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen, and (standing) Shelaine Green.