Nick Le Cornu Holds Seat

You are probably thinking that I’ve got that wrong. After all, the election results are as follows:

Judy Martin, 946, Russell Labey 811, Scott Wickenden 476, and Nick losing with 311.

JEP last night:

“Deputy Nick Le Cornu becomes one of the briefest-serving States Members after losing his seat in the Chamber, just eight months after being elected in a by-election. He may have paid the price for a controversial Tweet about St Peter Deputy Kristina Moore, which saw him sacked from the Reform Jersey party”

And the Bailiwick Express said recently.

“The hustings are over, the campaigns are drawing to an end, it can only mean one thing - some of Jersey's £46,000 per year politicians will wake up tomorrow morning as States Members for the very last time...”

In fact, this is not the case. The States of Jersey Law tells us this:

(1) Senators and Deputies shall be elected for a term of 4 years.
(2) Notwithstanding the term of office stated in paragraph (1), a Senator or Deputy shall retire on his or her place being filled by an ordinary election.
(3) The places of Senators and Deputies are filled upon the persons elected at the ordinary elections taking the oath of their office.
4) This Article is subject to Article 6A.

And Article 6A says:

(1) There shall be held, in the period of 7 days beginning on 15th October 2011 –
(a) an ordinary election to elect 4 Senators, for a term expiring upon the persons elected as Senators at the ordinary election in October 2014 taking the oath of their office;
(b) an ordinary election to elect Deputies, for a term expiring upon the persons elected as Deputies at the ordinary election in October 2014 taking the oath of their office.

This means that Nick Le Cornu will hold onto his seat until the new States members take their oath of office in early November.

So legally he does still hold his seat….. for a few weeks, anyway!

In 2011 when the States continued with the old House debating the budget.

But as far as I am aware, the States will not be sitting after the election, so he will never be taking his seat in the House again.