Election: fresh faces in Deputies' seats

Thursday 16 October 2014

Ten new Deputies were elected last night as the electorate turfed out three sitting Members – including the Environment Minister Rob Duhamel.

The voting public kept up their record of kicking out at least one minister at every election when they said goodbye to Deputy Duhamel, the longest-serving Deputy with 21 years of service behind him.

But they welcomed a dose of new blood, including three well-known media figures in TV presenter Russell Labey (St Helier No 1) and radio DJs Murray Norton (St Brelade No 1) and Peter Maclinton (St Saviour No 1).

The other newcomers are Scott Wickenden (St Helier No 1), Andrew Lewis (St Helier No 3), Louise Doublet (St Saviour No 2), Graham Truscott (St Brelade No 2), Simon Bree (St Clement), Richard Renouf (St Ouen) and David Johnson (St Mary).

But while they will be facing up to a bright future in politics, Deputies Duhamel, Gerard Baudains and Nick Le Cornu have reached the end of the political road, for now at least.

The new Members will join “Rocketman” Terry McDonald and the new St John Constable Chris Taylor and Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur, who were both elected to the States for the first time without opposition.

All told, with the arrival of Senator-elect Zoe Cameron in the States, that means 14 new faces in the States Chamber when politicians reconvene to pick a new Chief Minister on 3 November.