P&R Again Fails To Sway Deputies on GST

Saturday, 21 October 2023 07:54

For the second time this year, the senior committee loses the GST vote. Now there are reports it could trigger an early election.

In a complicated end to a four day debate, largely taken up by lengthy amendments, the move to introduce GST lost by 24 votes to 15.

P&R member Jonathan le Tocq was absent due to illness.

Deputies have backed the modernisation of the hospital and its funding. They also backed the Ozouets education build, but didn't vote to fund it.

Deputies voted by 35 to 4 to raise £35M a year through taxes on the driver, corporate taxes and savings. Social housing - the key priority of this States term - will also get funding.

The senior committee is now faced with the reality that its plans to tax to enable capital spending are unable to get through the Assembly. It's the third time they've tried, and failed.

That's despite repeating the message that their package of proposals would support the less well off through tax and social security support.

Deputy Marc Leadbeater had this to say:

"If all of us were at school, and this entire process had been an exercise in working towards a common goal, with different students having differing views on how to achieve that goal, then our collective school report would say, 'must try harder.'"

Attention now turns the sustainability of the current Assembly. There are reports already that there could be an early general election.

Currently it's scheduled for June 2025.