REFORM JERSEY - A political party with ambition

Here is the exclusive interview given to Voiceforchildren blog following the election of Sam Mezec and I as Deputies in St Helier District No.1 and No.2 respectively on 5th March 2014.

In the interview we set out our vision of what the political party REFORM JERSEY might be. It will only be possible if the people of Jersey engage and rally to an organisation that has emblazoned on its banner Social Justice and Reform.

The real battle will come in the October 15 General Election - Jersey's first general election when all seats are open to be contested at the same time. The election will most likely be fought under the unreformed Constitution of 1948 with its three categories of States Member - Senator, Deputy and Constable. It’s going to be a messy affair, primarily because the political class has refused to embrace long overdue reforms and create a modern democratic electoral system. They have done so consciously because they fear losing power; they fear the people, who so far have been dulled into a-political indifference over many years.

Clearly this is an historic moment for the island of Jersey. At last the prospect of change is in sight and the agency of that change is REFORM JERSEY. I am honoured and thrilled to participate in this endeavor. Men make their own history but not in circumstances of their own choosing.

Thanks to VFC who has been tirelessly engaged and blogging for progressive politics since 2008.

At last we have a break-through and a brigehead established. The counter attack is sure to come and it will be met.

Deputy Nick Le Cornu, District 1 St Helier – keeping his election promises

During canvassing at La Collette flats in Green Street I fell over on extremely slippery decking outside the low rise flats near the sea. I spoke to the nearby tenants and they indicated their complaints about the danger and a number of falls had not resulted in a permanent solution. The danger remained, so I undertook to resolve the issue once elected.

The decking was power washed on the day after my election and Astro-Turf will be put down.

There is a need for ALL States properties to be subjected to an ACCESS AUDIT by Property Services or some other department using qualified people as soon as possible and the new Housing Association ANDIUM undertake a similar project with all housing units as quickly as possible too. 

A full schedule can then be collated to show what adapted accommodation exists for tenants with disabilities and the States can undertake the long overdue programme of making ALL public buildings accessible to everybody. 

I will also be pressing for a comprehensive Disability Strategy to be prepared – just like that recently agreed in Guernsey with ratification of the UN Convention on the rights of people with Disabilities. 

Thanks to Deputy Green, the Housing Minister, for responding so quickly. We shall monitor further progress as the Astro-Turf is laid and better handrails provided to make this access SAFE!

Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of Reform Jersey

voiceforchildren: Party Political Broadcast on Behalf of Reform Jersey

ELECTION LEAFLET - NICK LE CORNU - District No.1 St Helier

Here is my election leaflet and policies for the Deputy by-election in District No.1 St Helier on 5th March.

"Black one-armed lesbians" – or how some in Jersey fail to understand women and gender equality

This Wednesday lunchtime a meeting was held in Church House by the Christian group Business Connect for all the candidates standing for Deputy in District No1 and No2.  Before them were a number of topical issues with a moral dimension. The hope from the point of view of the organisers of CHOW (Church House on Wednesday) was to pose a Christian challenge to contemporary politics.

The topics for debate were injustice in Jersey; Gay marriage; the position of the Dean in the States Assembly; Sunday trading; gender discrimination and Church subsidy through the Parish rates system. 

We all had to indicate which questions we wanted to discuss and our host Paul Milbank ensured everyone got to answer an equal number of questions and speak for two minutes.
 

CHOW



I noticed that the Establishment candidate here in No1 District, Gordon Forrest, displayed alacrity only to answer the question on Sunday trading. Being a modern Tory, with an employer and business background, this was not surprising. However, debates in the States Assembly invariably have a moral aspect and call for a fine tuned sensitivity to public sentiment. The world is not all technocratic black letter law and finance. Matters of gender, sexual orientation and constitutional law frequently arise and it was correct that CHOW posed them to candidates. 

Naturally Reform Jersey candidates Sam Mezec and I were hands up first to talk on justice and inequality.


Below are Gordon Forrest (District No.1, Establishment) and Sam Mezec (District No.2, Reform Jersey) speaking at CHOW on the issue of Sunday Trading:

District No.2 Hustings


On Wednesday evening District No2 held its Husting in the Town Hall Assembly room. I attended, and my assessment was confirmed by conversations afterwards; there was only one candidate of calibre speaking and that was Sam Mezec. His speech carefully crafted his evident youth, 23, to his advantage, emphasising vigor and agility over a number of sedate elderly gentlemen with conventional ideas and solutions. Some candidates shot themselves in the foot, in a classic manner, by deferring in their speeches to Sam, leaving no doubt in the audience's mind who had the upper hand. 

Whereas other candidates answered questions with a stream of consciousness, Sam displayed a rounded analysis of often complex issues. He did more than say he “would look into it”, the classic get out clause for candidates covering up their ignorance and provided a clear position on every issue.  

Injustice

My contribution at CHOW was on injustice which turned into a speech on inequality and again on gender inequality, which boiled down to the issue of women. I gave the latter a socialist twists by moving beyond “Trickle down Feminism” and its obsession with the “Glass Ceiling” that prevents upper middle class women entering Parliament and the Boardroom, to consider where was the “floor” for working class women bearing the responsibility of child care, the family and work.

Cringeworthy

When the only woman running for election in District No.1 spoke on women and rejected any form of positive discrimination, I had to cringe. Her speech then veered off on a semi racist tack, made all the worse because it was genuine and heartfelt. Sitting at the back of the room were three people of colour, a man and two women, one a Real Feminist. I was embarrassed on their behalf when Maureen Morgan mentioned “black one armed lesbians”, the fantasy bête noir of all Daily Mail readers. At least she realised she had over-stepped the mark and sort of apologised.

Judge for yourself if Ms Morgan will be invited to give the key note speech at the next Jersey conference on “Advancing Women in Politics and Public Life”?

THE ELECTION FOR DEPUTY IN DISTRICT NO.1 ST HELIER WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 5TH MARCH 2014 AT THE TOWN HALL, 8AM TO 8PM. 

VOTERS MAY PRE-POLL (VOTE EARLY) BY ATTENDING AT ST PAUL'S CENTRE, DUMARESQ STREET, FROM 9AM TO 5PM FROM MONDAY 24TH FEBRUARY TO SATURDAY 1ST MARCH AND AGAIN ON MONDAY 3RD MARCH 9AM TO 2PM.


Thanks again to Stewart for the photography.