Reform Jersey

Reform Jersey is a centre-left social-democratic political party in Jersey. In all general elections since 2014, Reform has won the most seats of any party in the States Assembly. However, it has not won a majority of seats in any general election due to the large number of independents in the Assembly.

Reform Jersey
LeaderSam Mézec
ChairpersonHelen Evans
SecretaryAnne Southern
TreasurerMericia Andrade
Equalities OfficerNoah Jervis
Founded2012 (2012)
Registered4 July 2014 (2014-07-04)
Youth wingReform Youth[1]
IdeologySocial democracy[2] Progressivism Environmentalism
Political positionCentre-left
Colours  Blue   Red
States Assembly
10 / 49
Website
www.reformjersey.je

Reform was initially founded as a pressure group in 2012 to campaign for electoral reform in the run up to the 2013 electoral reform referendum. It first stood candidates for election in the 2014 by-elections, where it won two seats. It officially registered as a political party in July 2014 to compete in the 2014 general election. Reform has gained seats in every subsequent general election, but has never won a majority. It was initially a junior coalition partner in the Le Fondré government, but left the coalition in November 2020 to support a vote of no confidence against it.

As of 2023, Reform has ten seats in the States Assembly. Sam Mézec has been the leader of Reform Jersey since its foundation.

History

Formation

Reform Jersey was founded in 2012 as a pressure group by Montfort Tadier 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]

In the 2022 general election the party won 10 seats, doubling the seat count of its prior highest electoral performance and becoming the largest political party in the States Assembly.[13][14]

Ideology and platform
Reform is a supporter of trade unions.

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[15] and the parish system.[16] Their 2018 campaign, included the message, ‘improving the standard of living’.

Reform Jersey supported and campaigned for the legalisation of same-sex marriage[17] and organised a rally in support of equal marriage on 12 July 2014,[18][19] 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,[20] 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.[21] On 2 May 2019, during a debate in the States Assembly, Deputy Montfort Tadier called for “ecological socialism”[22] 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.[23]

Electoral performance
States Assembly
Election Leader Votes Seats Position Government
No. Share No. ± Share
2014 Sam Mézec 7,910 4.4a
3 / 49
 Increase 1 6.1 1st Independent
2018 19,286 10.0b
5 / 49
 Increase 2 10.2 Steady 1st Independent–Reform Jersey
2022 12,720 12.3
10 / 49
 Increase 5 20.4 Steady 1st Independent–Better Way–Jersey Liberal Conservatives
a.^ Anne Southern received 17.2% of the island-wide vote in the senatorial election.
b.^ Sam Mézec received 40.8% of the island-wide vote in the senatorial election.

References
  1. "Young islanders encouraged to participate in politics". itv.com. 30 August 2022. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  2. Frost, Kelly (22 September 2023). "New constitution for Reform to set party on "path to Government"". Bailiwick Express. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  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. "Jersey Election 2022: Politicians react to poll results". BBC News. 23 June 2022.
  14. "Election shockwaves as Islanders call for change". 23 June 2022.
  15. "Reform Jersey : A Political Party for Jersey". Reformjersey.je. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  16. "The Blog of Senator Sam Mézec: The Parish System - What Democracy?". sammezec.blogspot.com. August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  17. "BBC News - Gay marriage proposition lodged by Reform Jersey". Bbc.co.uk. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  18. "Pressure on States to allow same-sex marriage - Jersey News from ITV Channel Television". channelonline.tv. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  19. "BBC News - Jersey meeting over equal marriage study". Bbc.co.uk. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  20. "Manifesto 2018 - Reform Jersey website". reformjersey.je. 4 August 2018.
  21. "Senator Sam Mézec speaks at the climate change rally in the Royal Square - Reform Jersey on Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  22. ".@StatesAssembly on Twitter". @statesassembly. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  23. "The 'New Deal' for Jersey" (PDF). www.reformjersey.je. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
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