Reform Jersey

Reform Jersey is a centre-left social-democratic political party in Jersey. In all general elections since 2014, Reform has won the most seats of any party in the States Assembly. However, it has not won a majority of seats in any general election due to the large number of independents in the Assembly.

Reform was initially founded as a pressure group in 2012 to campaign for electoral reform in the run up to the 2013 electoral reform referendum. It first stood candidates for election in the 2014 by-elections, where it won two seats. It officially registered as a political party in July 2014 to compete in the 2014 general election. Reform has gained seats in every subsequent general election, but has never won a majority. It was initially a junior coalition partner in the Le Fondré government, but left the coalition in November 2020 to support a vote of no confidence against it.

In January 2024, Reform returned to government following a vote of no confidence in Kristina Moore as a coalition partner in the Farnham government. As of February 2024, Reform has ten seats in the States Assembly. Sam Mézec has been the leader of Reform Jersey since its foundation.

Formation
Reform Jersey was founded in 2012 as a pressure group by Montfort Tadier and Sam Mézec. On 24 April 2014, Deputies Mézec and Le Cornu announced that it would become a party to contest the 2014 general election scheduled for October. It was legally registered as a political party at the Royal Court on 4 July 2014. Reform Jersey founding member Deputy Nick Le Cornu was expelled from the party in September 2014 for posting an offensive Tweet about another politician.

Candidates
For the 2014 general election on 15 October 2014, Reform Jersey put up eight candidates. Deputies Sam Mézec, Montfort Tadier and Geoff Southern were re-elected but none of the new Reform candidates were successful.

In the 2018 general election on 16 May 2018, the party returned four deputies (including new Deputies Robert Ward and Carina Alves), with Mézec gaining a senatorial seat. On the 3rd of July 2018, Mézec was appointed first Minister of Children and Housing. After nearly only two and half years in the role, on the 8th of November 2020 Mézec resigned from his role as the Minister of Children and Housing in support of a vote of no confidence against the Chief Minister, and subsequently the party organised into a parliamentary 'Opposition' block and allocated their members policy portfolios.

In the 2022 general election the party won 10 seats, doubling the seat count of its prior highest electoral performance and becoming the largest political party in the States Assembly.

Ideology and platform
The party states its support for a living wage, progressive taxation, 26 weeks' statutory maternity leave, construction of affordable housing, and democratic reform of the States of Jersey and the parish system. Their 2018 campaign, included the message, ‘improving the standard of living’.

Reform Jersey supported and campaigned for the legalisation of same-sex marriage and organised a rally in support of equal marriage on 12 July 2014, prior to the legalisation of same-sex marriage in Jersey on 1 July 2018.

The party's 2018 election manifesto, Working For A Fairer Island, promised tax reform, grants to cover the cost of university tuition fees, a rent freeze on the social housing sector, an empty property tax, and electoral reform of the States of Jersey to introduce one type of States member elected in equal-size constituencies. It also expressed support for a universal healthcare system, free at the point of use, and promised to reduce the cost of GP visits. The manifesto also supported the conservation of Jèrriais.

The party supports environmental activism. On 30 April, 2019, party chairman Mézec addressed a rally of local Extinction Rebellion activists in the Royal Square. On 2 May 2019, during a debate in the States Assembly, Deputy Montfort Tadier called for “ecological socialism” in response to anthropogenic climate change.

Reform Jersey’s “New Deal for Jersey”, first published on 1 June 2020 and inspired by both the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and contemporary proposals for a Green New Deal, calls for free access to primary healthcare, extended rent freezes, reduction of the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, and continuing income support and debt write-offs for low-income islanders.

Current members of the States Assembly
Ten Reform Jersey members were elected to the States Assembly in the 2022 general election, all to the position of deputy. Of these ten, five were incumbents and five were newly elected.