The Goverment of Jersey and the Alliance

 In Lindsay Ash's recent letter to the Jersey Evening Posts, he protests that the Jersey Alliance party is not the current Government of Jersey, and there are sufficient non-members to not conflate the two. 

This comes in the wake of a series of promised press releases and videos which document the behind the scenes work carried out to pursue government objectives. This is seen by many as a blatant pre-election push for the Alliance party, on the basis that 

(1) it was announced by the Chief Minister, who is a member of the Alliance party, and who is the public face promoting these videos. 

(2) the way in which the government can push matters by very propagandist videos was seen in the recent one on Plemont Ward. 

(3) no members of other parties are members of the current government 

(4) four Ministers are members and would certainly benefit 

(5) when recent promotions arose (Home Affairs, Education), the Chief Minister promoted members of the Alliance Party rather than other States members. 

(6) Only one member of the Alliance party in the States is NOT a part of Government, either as Minister or Assistant Minister.

So it's not unreasonable to see these as party political broadcasts, funded by the taxpayer, for the Alliance party. 

But let's assume that Deputy Ash's thesis is correct. And the government is quite distinct from the Alliance. Then we must ask the following questions:

If the Government has something wrong, and the Alliance party can bring a corrective, why are propositions not being brought to the States now? After all they the ability to do so? They have a Chief Minister and four Ministers. They even have a backbencher outside the government who could present a critical proposition. 

Also John Le Fondre has been Chief Minister all this time. If Alliance can bring something different, why are they not doing so now? If the Government plan is wrong in any respects, why not call it out now? Just where does Alliance differ from current policy? Of course when all but one of your members is part of the Government, that may be difficult!

Interestingly Ian Gorst, not a member of Alliance, has begun to be critical of the lack of movement in implementing the Care Inquiry's proposals regarding the care of children caught up in the criminal system or taken from families for sound reasons. It's late in the day, but it's really the one voice of dissent. None has come from Alliance party members who seem happy with current policy and its implementation.

If the Government and the Alliance party are largely aligned, how can Deputy Ash argue that videos praising the work of the government will not reflect well on the policies of the Alliance party? They are not aligned with members of other parties within the States. Reform left the Government over a disagreement on policies and practices, as did Steve Pallett, later to be founding member of Progress. 

To say that these people originally supported the Chief Minister by voting for him, as Deputy Ash does, is to cherry pick history, as he does not mentioning in his letter that they resigned later on a vote of no confidence in him!