Policy Centre publishes Policy Brief on re-instating senators

Deputy Elaine Millar has introduced a proposition to reinstate the position of senator to come into effect for the 2026 election. A new Policy Brief describes the history of the role of senator and discusses points relevant to the issue. It is designed to inform the public discussion on the subject.

The summary of the Brief is set out below -

• Deputy Elaine Millar has introduced a proposition to reinstate the position of senator to come into effect for the 2026 election.
• The position of senator was introduced in 1948. Over time the number of senators has been reduced from 12 to eight, the term from nine years to six years and elections have moved from being held before deputy elections to being held at the same time.
• The Clothier Commission, which reported in 2000, could see no significant difference between the role of senator and the role of deputy and accordingly recommended the abolition of senators with an additional 12 deputies. This recommendation was not implemented by the Assembly.
• In the 2013 referendum 19.5% of those who voted, in a very low turnout, supported senators remaining in the Assembly.
• For the 2022 election senators were abolished, the number of deputies increased from 29 to 37 and the districts for deputies were revised so as to ensure that each vote for deputy counted equally.
• There is no reliable survey of public opinion on whether senators should be reinstated.
• One of the arguments for senators is that people would be able to vote for a number of members of the Assembly. In the UK, voters have just one vote for their MP. Guernsey is an outlier with a single constituency, electors having 38 votes.
• There is a valid argument for an island-wide mandate, particularly in the absence of party politics.
• Introducing major constitutional changes less than a year before an election is contrary to accepted international standards.

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