Reform Jersey

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Reform Jersey
LeaderSenator Sam Mézec
ChairmanLyndsay Feltham[1]
SecretaryAnne Southern
Vice-chairmanDeputy Geoff Southern
TreasurerMericia Andrade
Founded2012 (registered as party on 4 July 2014)
IdeologySocial democracy[2]
Progressivism
Environmentalism
Political positionCentre-left
ColoursBlue, red, grey
States Assembly
5 / 49
Website
www.reformjersey.je

Reform Jersey is a social-democratic political party in Jersey, a British Crown Dependency in the Channel Islands. It is one of three registered political parties in Jersey.

History[]

Formation[]

Reform Jersey was founded in 2012 as a pressure group by Montfort Tadier, Nick Le Cornu, Jason Cronin and Sam Mézec.[3] On 24 April 2014, Deputies Mézec and Le Cornu announced that it would become a party to contest the 2014 general election scheduled for October.[4] It was legally registered as a political party at the Royal Court on 4 July 2014.[5][6] Reform Jersey founding member Deputy Nick Le Cornu was expelled from the party in September 2014 for posting an offensive Tweet about another politician.[7]

Candidates[]

For the 2014 general election on 15 October 2014, Reform Jersey put up eight candidates. Deputies Sam Mézec, Montfort Tadier and Geoff Southern were re-elected but none of the new Reform candidates were successful.[8]

In the 2018 general election on 16 May 2018, the party returned four deputies (including new Deputies Robert Ward and Carina Alves), with Mézec gaining a senatorial seat.[9] On the 3rd of July 2018, Mézec was appointed first Minister of Children and Housing.[10] After nearly only two and half years in the role, on the 8th of November 2020 Mézec resigned from his role as the Minister of Children and Housing in support of a vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister,[11] and subsequently the party organised into a parliamentary 'Opposition' block and allocated their members policy portfolios.[12]

Policies[]

The party states its support for a living wage, progressive taxation, 26 weeks/ statutory maternity leave, construction of affordable housing, and democratic reform of the States of Jersey[13] and the parish system.[14] Their 2018 campaign, included the message, ‘improving the standard of living’.

Reform Jersey supported and campaigned for the legalisation of same-sex marriage[15] and organised a rally in support of equal marriage on 12 July 2014,[16][17] prior to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Jersey on 1 July 2018.

The party's 2018 election manifesto, Working For A Fairer Island,[18] promised tax reform, grants to cover the cost of university tuition fees, a rent freeze on the social housing sector, an empty property tax, and electoral reform of the States of Jersey to introduce one type of States member elected in equal-size constituencies. It also expressed support for a universal healthcare system, free at the point of use, and promised to reduce the cost of GP visits. The manifesto also supported the conservation of Jèrriais.

The party supports environmental activism. On 30 April, 2019, party chairman Mézec addressed a rally of local Extinction Rebellion activists in the Royal Square.[19] On 2 May 2019, during a debate in the States Assembly, Deputy Montfort Tadier called for “ecological socialism”[20] in response to anthropogenic climate change.

Reform Jersey’s “‘New Deal’ for Jersey”, first published on 1 June 2020 and inspired by both the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and contemporary proposals for a Green New Deal, calls for free access to primary healthcare, extended rent freezes, reduction of the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, and continuing income support and debt write-offs for low-income islanders.[21]

Election results[]

2018[22][]

In 2018, Reform Jersey put forward 18 candidates for election; one of the candidates subsequently withdrew. The party won only five seats.

Canditate Name Role, Parish & District Result
Anne Southern Deputy in St Helier No. 3 & 4 Lose
Carina Alves Deputy of St Helier No. 2 Win
Cloe Freeman Deputy of St Clement Lose
Fiona O'Sullivan Deputy of St Saviour No. 1 Lose
Garel Tucker Deputy of St Brelade No. 2 Lose
Geoff Southern Deputy of St Helier No. 2 Win
Jaime Boylan Deputy of St Saviour No. 2 Lose
John McNichol Deputy of St Helier No.1 Lose
Julian Rogers Deputy of St Helier No. 3 & 4 Lose
Kelly Langdon Deputy in St Helier No. 1 Lose
Marilyn Carré Constable of St Brelade Withdrew
Mary Ayling-Phillip Deputy of St Helier No. 3 & 4 Lose
Monty Tadier Deputy of St Brelade No. 2 Win
Rob Ward Deputy in St Helier No. 2 Win
Sam Mézec Senator Win
Samantha Morrison Deputy of St Clement Lose
Tom Coles Deputy of St Saviour No. 3 Lose
Yann Mash Deputy of St Helier No. 1 Lose

References[]

  1. ^ "New Chairperson for Reform political party". www.jerseyeveningpost.com. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Welcome to the Reform Jersey website". www.reformjersey.je. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  3. ^ "The Blog of Deputy Sam Mézec: Reform Jersey". Sammezec.blogspot.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  4. ^ "BBC News - Deputies line up Jersey's only political party". Bbc.co.uk. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  5. ^ Tom Gruchy (4 July 2014). "Tom Gruchy: "Reform Jersey" - first political party since 1204 registered on 4 July 2014 in the Royal Court - (Samedi Division on a Friday)". Tomgruchy.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Campaign group becomes political party - Jersey News from ITV Channel Television". channelonline.tv. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Jersey deputy's 'sexist Twitter comments unacceptable'". BBC News. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  8. ^ "– States of Jersey Elections". Vote.je. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Mézec – and Reform – ride the rollercoaster to a Senatorial seat". jerseyeveningpost.com.
  10. ^ Jersey, States of. "Government of Jersey". gov.je. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Mézec Resigns As Minister To Back Vote Of No Confidence". Channel 103. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Reform Jersey assume role of official 'Opposition'".
  13. ^ "Reform Jersey : A Political Party for Jersey". Reformjersey.je. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  14. ^ "The Blog of Senator Sam Mézec: The Parish System - What Democracy?". sammezec.blogspot.com. August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  15. ^ "BBC News - Gay marriage proposition lodged by Reform Jersey". Bbc.co.uk. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Pressure on States to allow same-sex marriage - Jersey News from ITV Channel Television". channelonline.tv. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  17. ^ "BBC News - Jersey meeting over equal marriage study". Bbc.co.uk. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  18. ^ "Manifesto 2018 - Reform Jersey website". reformjersey.je. 4 August 2018.
  19. ^ "Senator Sam Mézec speaks at the climate change rally in the Royal Square - Reform Jersey on Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  20. ^ ".@StatesAssembly on Twitter". @statesassembly. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  21. ^ "The 'New Deal' for Jersey" (PDF). www.reformjersey.je. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  22. ^ "Results 2018". Vote.je - States of Jersey Elections. Retrieved 25 March 2021.

External links[]

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