Questions are one of the tools that Jersey's States Members have available to them to understand why and how the Government is doing what it's doing. Want to get to grips with a Minister's priorities? Ask a question. Want to know how much money is being spent on something? Ask a question. Want to understand how long it will take to deliver a new in…

Who are the people who make our laws, set our taxes, decide how Jersey should be run? And what do they all do? Jersey politics features a whole host of different roles that could be unfamiliar to you. There are: Constables (a.k.a. Connétables); Deputies; the Bailiff; the Greffier of the States; the Attorney General and Solicitor General; and more! …

Following on from our previous episode 'Jersey Scrutiny 101', we finish off the interview with Andy and Will and cover how Jersey isn't on its own in doing parliamentary scrutiny, what it takes to be an effective scrutineer and discover what it is that makes the Island's Public Accounts Committee the envy of other jurisdictions. Interviewees: Andy …

If you follow the news or have any interest at all in how taxpayers' money - your money - is spent in Jersey, then you must surely have heard references to 'Scrutiny'. As mentioned in our 'Jersey Politics 101' podcast episode, Scrutiny is how politicians make sure that the government is held to account by checking and challenging policies, laws and…

Jersey was occupied by German forces during the Second World War. The Occupation had a huge impact on the daily lives of Islanders, with many aspects of 'normal' life' restricted or affected in some way by the new rules and regulations that were imposed. Large crowds gathered in the Royal Square in St. Helier to celebrate when Jersey was liberated …

People who live in Jersey have the power to start a petition to call on the States Assembly - Jersey's elected parliament - for action or change. What exactly is a petition? What power do they have? Do they really work to make change and improvement? How can you go about starting a petition, and what is the secret to success? If you want to start a…

Jersey's States Members are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct for Elected Members and it's the job of the Commissioner for Standards to determine whether or not they have, when faced with a complaint. Dr Melissa McCullough is the Pan-Island Commissioner for Standards. As Commissioner, she deals with complaints (and potential complaints) from…

Did you know that Jersey's politicians are allowed to speak any of 3 languages in States meetings? That means you could hear English, French or Jèrriais during the course of a meeting. These days most of the States Assembly's business is conducted in English, but this wasn't always the case. The original language of Jersey's parliament was French, …

Jersey's States Assembly was meeting and debating long before the States Chamber was built. Queen Victoria had been on the throne for 50 years when the 'new' building was first opened and used for a States Meeting in 1887. In this episode the States Greffe's Dominic Butler shares some historical stories and background to the building and its design…

Jersey's States Assembly has 49 elected members who can be appointed to different roles. How this happens is guided by the rules of the States Assembly - the 'Standing Orders'. After a general election deciding appointments is the first job of the newly-elected Assembly. The very first appointment made is for Chief Minister. Members can become gove…

When the States Assembly has to debate a vote of no confidence it's a big deal. It is normal for a vote of no confidence - or 'VONC' - to hit the news headlines and get people talking. Sometimes this can create a bit of confusion. What is a VONC? Who can VONC whom? And how does the whole thing actually work? The Greffier and Deputy Greffier of the …

What happens to the money that you pay in taxes? And who decides how that money is spent? Every year the States Assembly debates the 'Government Plan'. This is Jersey's budget. It's a key moment in the year where States Members - Jersey's elected representatives - can influence how public money is spent. This episode looks at the process behind the…

Calling all people who are: Not sure what the States Assembly is? New to Jersey? A bit confused when you hear people talking about deputies, constables, propositions, scrutiny...? This is the explainer you need! This is Jersey Politics 101 - where we take on the challenge of demystifying Jersey's political system in less than 20 minutes. Find out: …

This episode is an interview with Jennifer Long, who was appointed as independent States Members' Remuneration Reviewer in February 2023. During the interview Jennifer explains that, as elected representatives in Jersey's States Assembly, States Members have a significant impact on the lives of Islanders. It's important that they are paid fairly fo…

In this first episode we discuss how a small island in the English Channel came to have its own parliament - the States Assembly, and take a tour of some of the milestone moments in Jersey's democratic history that lead us to the present day. We also hear from a selection of current States Members about what got them into politics, how they go abou…