John Fernandez's BLOG: Alderney's 'political earthquake'

It’s not Brexit +++, it’s not Donald Trump being elected as President of the United States but in Alderney what was described to me (by a lady in the pub I’m staying at) as a political earthquake took place on Saturday.

Established States Members by the handful were rejected at the ballot box, with Francis Simonet, Neil Harvey & Chris Rowley all having their votes from the last General Election slashed, whilst Robert MacDowall decided not even to put himself forward for election.

Instead elected in their place were two men, who a few months ago when I spoke to them were barely even entertaining the thought of standing for election. Joining them was a church warden who’s stood before and probably the most qualified of all of the new States members, transport economist and talk of the town James Dent.

Alex Snowdon enters the States as possibly the youngest States member in Alderney’s history, at 28-years-old (I say possibly as nobody on Alderney seems to know if a chap called Francois was younger than him when first elected), full of enthusiasm and a drive to get more young people engaged with politics. Whilst Mike Dean, who has risen to prominence as a key member of the Alderney Power Debate group, an organisation scrutinising the controversial FAB link, comes in as arguably the most anti-establishment candidate. A garage owner with a no-nonsense Alderney-first manifesto, which reminds me of recent Vale By-Election winner Neil Inder in Guernsey!

This election has been seen as a triumphant thanks, but no thanks to the establishment from Alderney’s electorate. Whoever I’ve spoken to over the weekend, the consensus is that islanders had become tired with the ‘same ole’ States members and have voted for change and yes, whilst I may not agree some have even said it mirrors Brexit and Trump…

So as the winds of change blow through the Island Hall after the weekend’s fireworks, there is one issue which does concern me when looking at the Alderney States Assembly, the levels of diversity within it. Like Guernsey pre-2016, it’s very pale, male and stale with lots of older gentlemen and just one woman, Norma Paris within the assembly.

It comes at a time when Guernsey’s States has a record 12 female States members, in what is arguably the most diverse States in terms of gender and age in its history. Yes, new States Member Alex Snowdon drops the average age of the assembly considerably, but by my calculations it still sits around 63.

A diverse range of people offers more scale for debate, covering more perspectives and in my opinion it creates a climate for better accountability and better representation. That, in anyone’s book is a cause to aim for in 2018.