Thursday’s election declaration was rife with stories of success and disappointment, nerves and excitement were palpable before the results were read out confirming some new names were in and some big names were out.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez’s rise to poll topper by a substantial margin grabbed the headlines, while some stalwarts of the States were left behind at the ballot boxes.
A host of new faces will occupy most of the States chamber for the next political term.
However, the title ‘Father of the House’ remains comfortably with Deputy John Gollop.
How he earned that title is a story worth telling in its own right.
The path to being Father of the House
He already held the title in the 2020-25 government, but it was never as secure as it is now.
While Deputy Gollop was the longest serving States member with consecutive terms below his loose fitting belt after the October 2020 election he did face some competition in the longevity stakes from other deputies.
Both Deputy Peter Ferbrache and Deputy Peter Roffey had served in non-consecutive States previously.
But with Deputy Ferbrache just missing out on election this time round, and Deputy Roffey choosing to stand down, anyone questioning “who’s the daddy” will have their definitive answer.
It is John Gollop.
The early days
Deputy John Gollop first stood for election in St Peter Port in 1988 when he was unsuccessful.
He was first elected to the States in 1997 under the parish system before he represented the district of St Peter Port North until the districts were abolished and island wide voting came in.
He was twice the poll topper in St Peter Port – notably in the 2016 with 1472 votes. He is also a Douzenier for the Parish, and has held that role previously
His run in the States is nearly 30 years long.
He has been a member of the States Assembly for 10,279 days and counting, with an unbroken tenure since May 1, 1997.
He has served on numerous Authorities, Boards and committees, including most recently on the senior body, the Policy and Resources Committee.
However, anyone who’s listened to the States for the last term will have undoubtedly heard a debate or two over whether or not his lengthy continuous stint in politics qualified him as FOTH, due to the two potential challengers for the title named above.
The two Peters
Both ‘Peters’ could have arguably held the role and mantle of States’ seniority, even against Deputy Gollop’s long service record.
Deputy Roffey first joined the States when he was 23 back in 1982. He is one of Guernsey’s longest-serving politicians, having been involved in the States on and off since that date, and that’s what added a question mark to his claim.
He stood down in 1991, and didn’t run again until the year 2000. That was followed up with another break between 2008 and 2016.
His decision to step away from politics, and not contend his seat for the 2025 election ended his claim to the FOTH title, for now.
Similarly Deputy Ferbrache has been a States stalwart since he was first elected in 1994 as a deputy for the Castel district.
He decided to step away from politics and didn’t seek reelection in the 2000 vote, but later returned to politics in 2016.
He stood in this year’s vote, but fell 21 short of newly elected, and 38th spot, Sarah Hansmann Rouxel.
Re-election
Following the results declaration at Beau Sejour on Thursday, Express spoke to Deputy Gollop about this latest election campaign he ran.
“I think it’s one of the hardest elections I’ve ever had, apart from when I first didn’t get in,” he said.
“It reminded me of 2004 when I’d been a poll topper the previous term. I knew things were going against me, so I had to focus on my core vote, and I possibly did that this time in going around the flats and the houses and the terraces.”
Deputy Gollop secured his seat for another term, as many thought he would.
But he did slump in the polling, falling from 6th in 2020 with 11,033 votes, to 22nd with 6,860.
It’s worth noting that the overall number of votes cast this year was down, and the poll topper was below that achieved in 2020 with that pattern reflected throughout the election.
Deputy Gollop offered his own guesses for why his numbers dropped dramatically though.
“I know why my vote dropped. I think there’s two reasons, apart from the fact I’m getting older, although I’ve got a young vote!
“I think the problem for me, and I’ll do better design and marketing next time, but the two big things were, I voted for GST, and you can see a definite trend in political titans doing badly, who supported GST.
“The other reason is I was too ambitious, and I got on Policy and Resources, and I had, amongst other things, parish negotiations and pay negotiations.
“Now you alienate the private sector by paying civil servants more, and you alienate the civil servants by not giving them everything that they argue then they deserve to. So I was on a bit of a loser there, but I ended up a winner!”
The new States
Many members of the current States fell in the election, with just 18 incumbents making it through the political gauntlet.
Deputy Gollop noted the absence, of the challenger for his title as Father of the House but was as gracious as ever in claiming his victory.
“Deputy Ferbrache can be quite tough politically and in his speeches, but I frequently met him socially with other colleagues, and I’ve always found him an extremely charming and helpful person.
“There have been occasions when I needed some political advice and he has always come up trumps. I think in some respects, he’s underrated, although that’s odd to say about a poll topper of many years standing.”
Deputy Gollop continued: “But he wanted to retire, then he changed his mind. I think, had he come back, he would have been an excellent member of Policy and Resources or Housing, and he would have been a wise orator and critic.
“He could have chaired the Scrutiny Committee, which would have been a great role for him as well.”
With the new States being sworn in on 1 July, before committee elections get underway, it’s not yet clear what role the Father of the House will have in the new assembly.
Most recently serving on P&R, he could make a return to the ‘top table’ or he might seek success elsewhere.