Jersey to hold referendum over speaker position
BBCPeople in Jersey will be asked whether there should be an elected speaker for the island's parliament next year.
Politicians voted on Thursday to hold a referendum on the 700-year-old tradition of the Bailiff acting as both chief judge and speaker.
The current Bailiff is Sir William Bailhache and he also acts as the island's first citizen.
No date has been set for the referendum but it could be on the same day as the General Election in May 2018.
Chief Minister Senator Ian Gorst originally wanted the States Assembly to decide whether to introduce an elected speaker but members decided to put it to the public first.
Change attempts
- 2010: Lord Carswell's report into the machinery of government recommended the Bailiff's dual role should stop
- 2010: Former Bailiff, Sir Philip Bailhache criticised the Carswell report
- 2010: Former politician Pierre Horsfall said it would be hard to appoint a Jersey speaker
- 2013: There was a proposal to split the dual role when the then Bailiff, Sir Michael Birt retires. It did not get passed
- 2016: There was another attempt in 2016 to introduce an elected speaker but this was rejected by the States
- 2017: The Independent Care Inquiry recommended a change to the dual role of the Bailiff
Senator Gorst brought the proposition to introduce an elected speaker after a recommendation by the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.
Senator Sir Philip Bailhache, former Bailiff and current external affairs minister, said there was no evidence the Bailiff being speaker impacted on his impartiality as chief judge.
Senator Ian Gorst said: "We must continue to reform and enhance our public institutions so they meet democratically international standards.
"This is not revolution, this is meeting current standards today and into the future."
Duties of the Bailiff:
- Head of the judiciary
- President of the Royal Court
- President of the Court of appeal
- President of the States Assembly
- Deputy Governor in the absence of the Lieutenant Governor
- President of the College of Electors
- Responsible for giving permission for certain types of public entertainment
- Civic head of the island
- Guardian of the constitution
Source: States of Jersey
