ELECTION DISASSEMBLED: How would our Senatorial candidates tackle the cost-of-living crisis?

The cost of living has emerged as one of the defining issues of Jersey’s 2026 election campaign… but while almost every candidate agrees that Islanders are under pressure, they don’t necessarily agree on what’s causing the problem… or how to fix it.

For Bailiwick Podcasts’ Election Disassembled podcast, we asked every Senatorial candidate the same question: “If you could take one action to help Islanders with the cost of living, what would it be?”

The answers revealed some striking differences in approach…

Higher allowances and lower duties?

As well as expressing support for a low-cost supermarket entering the market, External Relations Minister Ian Gorst called for higher tax allowances.

“If the war in Iran goes on, and we see oil prices staying high or increasing more… then we should also reduce duties there,” he added.

Deputy Helen Miles focused on the amount workers see deducted from their pay packets.

“I think I’d be looking at reducing the Social Security contribution for a period of time,” she said.

“Tickle” the rich!

Former Senator Guy de Faye also said he would increase income tax exemptions “because cost of living will hit the least well paid the most”.

He also said he would “try and tickle the well-off rich folk a little bit more than they’re paying now”.

Competition is key

Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham also argued that the answer lay in making markets more competitive.

He said Jersey needed to “promote competition really, really hard” in sectors such as food and fuel.

“If you shop around, there are huge differences,” he said, pointing to variations in petrol prices across the island.

The ferry contract

Former Treasury Minister Alan Maclean, who is hoping for a return to the States Assembly after stepping down in 2018, pointed to structural issues affecting food prices, and argued that the new ferry arrangements had increased costs for supermarkets.

He said the contract needed to be examined “urgently”.

Housing, housing, housing…

For Reform Jersey leader and Housing Minister Sam Mézec, the answer was straightforward.

“We need to keep on with the agenda of resolving Jersey’s housing crisis,” he said.

Rather than focusing on food prices or taxation, Mr Mézec argued that delivering more family homes would make the biggest difference to household finances. “We can’t get diverted from the current plans to deliver more family-sized houses across the island,” he added.

Let’s find out who really needs the help

Treasury Minister Elaine Millar said it was important to establish who was in greatest need of help to decide what action to take.

“I think we could really try to work more closely with the food banks to understand where the issues are, because government offers a huge range of support, but it seems to be not reaching people who need it,” she explained.

“So, I think we really need to try and drill down into who is it that’s going to food banks and why are they going and why are they falling through the gap. That’s something the next Social Security Minister should think about.”

When asked about what “levers” he would use to alleviate poverty and the high cost of living at the St Peter Senatorial hustings, Health Minister Tom Binet – who was unable to take part in the podcast interview – said he would resist answering with a “cheap answer” simply for applause.

He was clear that, whatever measures were used, they should be “targeted” to ensure that money didn’t end up “in the pocket of people who don’t need it”, adding that ultimately, growing the economy should ultimately be the priority because, “if we make more money, we’ve got more money to put where it’s needed”.

Grow more food locally

Several candidates focused on reducing Jersey’s dependence on imported goods.

Environment Minister Steve Luce said increasing local food production could help Islanders avoid some of the costs associated with importing produce.

“I want more farmers and more fishermen to provide more local produce for local people to eat,” he said.

Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat struck a similar note, arguing that Jersey should become more resilient by producing more food locally and reducing reliance on imports.

Est-ce que la France peut nous aider?

Independent candidate and Bosdet Foundation charity manager Alan Le Pavoux argued that Jersey could strengthen its relationship with France to help.

“We should shorten the supply chain and look and see if we can work closely with France, our neighbours, certainly for fresh fruit and produce.” 

Should GST stay or go?

Former States Member Alan Breckon, who did not take part in the podcast, advocates for removing GST from food to help Islanders with the high cost of groceries.

He claims that, alongside “better and more focused States spending”, it would be “achievable” to remove it at a cost of “about £10m”.

Shrink government, go for growth

A strong dose of realism came from Sir Mark Boleat, who said: “Reducing the cost of living is very difficult. If it was easy, it would have been done.” 

The answer, therefore, doesn’t necessarily lie in new support, he said.

Like other candidates, he argued that government itself had become too expensive, and was pushing up costs for all. In his view, a smaller government would ultimately leave Islanders better off.

Speaking at a hustings, Serena Kersten Guthrie – who did not take part in the podcast – echoed the sentiment.

The former England netball captain, who endorses the policies of Value Jersey, said she did not think there were “any quick fixes”, adding that “reducing regulation, ensuring planning was fit for purpose and being really pro-growth” would help to address the issue in a “sustainable way”.

Prevention rather than cure

Karl Busch went in a different direction, arguing that improving Islanders’ health could ultimately reduce pressure on public finances.

By reducing healthcare costs through better prevention and physical activity, he suggested more money could be made available for other priorities.

Time for a shake-up

While most candidates focused on ways to reduce bills, cut taxes or increase competition, Martin Aliga took a different approach altogether, arguing that if the Island had better direction, better outcomes might naturally flow for Islanders.

“The problem is actually not the cost of living,” he said. “The problem is the previous leaders.”

Listen to the full set of interviews here.