Gavin St. Pier

Manifesto

The need for change 

With 38 independent deputies, the States has no common vision or effective leadership.  Without this, the States cannot plan properly; and without a plan, it cannot deliver effective government for the people of Guernsey.  

In a world coping with changes driven by AI and the climate crisis, our community faces a rising number of external challenges. To become more responsive and effective, our political system needs to become organised. Forward Guernsey, as the island’s first proper policy-based party, is a step in that evolution.

Standing alongside me are five new, dynamic and diverse candidates.  We are all committed to working both together as a team and across the new Assembly to the deliver change Guernsey deserves. If elected, I would seek to chair one of the principal policy-making committees. 

Highlights of my previous achievements in Government

2020-25: I stood seeking a second term as Chief Minister, and whilst I did not want or expect to be without a leading role, https://youtu.be/Jhko1xxVn5w?feature=shared I have positioned myself as an active backbencher. This experience has given me different, more grounded perspective which will make me a more effective Deputy, whatever role I may have in the future. 

I have provided scrutiny and accountability with questions and amendments, for example improving the legislation on sexual violence, and have been a vocal advocate on behalf of constituents. Since January 2024, I have also served as the Vice President of the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee and as a member of the Committee for Health & Social Care. 

2016-20: Chief Minister – I led Guernsey’s successful response to the first Covid-19 wave; delivered balanced budgets in 2018 and 2019; and robustly defended the island’s interests in the UK and EU after the Brexit referendum.  

2012-16: Treasury & Resources Minister – I increased corporate taxes by extending 0/10 to all financial services businesses, large retailers and hydrocarbon importers, raising millions each year; led the Financial Transformation Programme which delivered £29.5m a year in public expenditure savings; initiated the change in adoption law to allow same sex or unmarried couples to adopt. 

Prior to being elected in 2012, I served on the Legislation Select Committee, the Police Complaints Commission and the Tax Tribunal.

A bit about me…

I’ve lived in Guernsey since I was 17 and stayed to raise my family here.  I’m a Chartered Accountant, Barrister, Chartered Tax Adviser, and Registered Trust & Estate Practitioner. I also have had an extensive executive and non-executive career in financial and professional services. 

Forward Guernsey - Delivering Change Together

All Forward Guernsey candidates are supporting the manifesto, ‘Our Plan for Guernsey: 2025-29 and beyond.’  This is the most ambitious vision and detailed manifesto ever prepared ahead of an election in Guernsey: 6 core priorities identified by talking with the community and a suite of policies built by locals.  We recognise that policy is more important than personality and that we can be more effective working as a team than on our own.

Visit www.forwardguernsey.org for the full manifesto.

Tackling the housing crisis:

• Introducing an Additional Earned Allowance for all over 16 year-olds on the first £100,000 of their taxable earnings before the age of 30, saving up to £20,000 tax for credit to a new tax-free Guernsey Property Savings Account (GPSA)
• Empowering developers to build more affordable houses for first-time buyers by creating a new ‘intermediate’ category of affordable housing (by using planning covenants to lock-in a 30% discount on market value.)
• Scrapping document duty for purchasers and developers of new properties sold for less than £600,000 to first time buyers.
• Increasing the capacity of the building sector by growing our own local talent, for example by pioneering the ‘Design, Engineer, Construct’ pathway in local secondary schools –enabling young people to enter the construction industry.
• Ending homelessness by providing emergency housing and creating clear pathways out of homelessness. 

Strengthening Guernsey’s economy for everyone:

• Investing to ensure reliable and affordable inter-island and UK connectivity.
• Incentivising islanders returning to Guernsey to work in public services with a ‘Welcome Home’ relocation package equal to that for non-locals.
• Allowing private investment and expertise in public infrastructure projects, such as the Guernsey Development Agency’s plans for the redevelopment of the St Sampson’s Harbour area, delivering these projects faster and more cost-effectively.
• Improving early-years assistance for parents and support for other working carers.

Creating a fairer tax system and balancing the books – in 6 steps:

1. Strengthening Guernsey’s economy for everyone (see above.)
2. Delivering more efficient public services, including an annual 1% reduction in baseline spending, saving £25m each year by 2029.
3. Sensible and sustainable public investment by reviewing the capital programme (within 3 months) to prioritise it, so cashflow, funding requirements and timeframes can be properly managed.
4. Fixing our broken tax administration, including removing the requirement to file income tax returns for the majority of taxpayers whose earnings have already been taxed at source. 
5. Improving corporate taxes, including working with Jersey to increase the zero/10 rate of tax to zero/15 and fairly taxing personal investment holding companies.
6. Wholesale tax reform to create a fairer tax system for low and middle earners, (including the Additional Earned Allowance and Guernsey Property Savings Account referred to above.)  

Health care: faster access, fewer barriers

• Making mental health a priority by appointing a political lead as Mental Health Champion to work across government and with the charity sector.
• Focusing on key issues that matter to the community, such as the cost and accessibility of repeat prescriptions for long-term health conditions.
• Focusing on retaining local staff by ensuring they feel appreciated, supported, and properly rewarded.
• Cutting costs and waiting lists by reforms led by clinical professionals rather than management consultants.

Education and skills for all islanders

• Fast-tracking the primary review to improve standards, ease teacher workloads, and streamline the system. This will also free up funds to invest in other priorities such as special educational needs and improving maths outcomes.
• As new technologies, such as AI, change our world, we need a responsive education system that enables everyone to continue learning by introducing opportunities to help adults upskill while ensuring Population Management policy matches remaining skills gaps.
• Investing in pastoral staff to provide prompt support to students when needed, enabling teachers to teach and benefitting all students.

Harnessing our climate transition

• Accelerating the completion of an offshore wind farm, that will also generate new revenues, improve energy security, create high paying jobs and deliver cheaper energy.
• Investment in skills and training to ensure that the whole community benefits from a net zero future.
• Natural solutions like coastal defences and flood protection to mitigate the impact of climate change on the island.

Delivering our vision

• Increasing the speed of decision making and improving the chances of delivery as we will have a single position on the key issues, rather than up to 38 different positions.
• Ensuring individual accountability against the policy commitments in this manifesto.
• Enabling representatives to work more effectively as a team with specialist areas of interest and expertise.

Please vote for all Forward Guernsey candidates who will be identified on the ballot paper with an ‘FG’ logo.