My Manifesto
Our Economy: Dare to Grow
To ensure long-term prosperity, we need honest dialogue about public finances. Spending cuts alone will not solve our problems. I support diversifying our tax base and do not favour relying entirely on income tax increases.
The current GST+ proposal raises valid concerns, even though it does include measures to protect lower earners. However, it cannot be implemented unless it has wider public support. It must be clearly explained and be part of a broader, fairer tax strategy. My priority is ensuring any changes are responsible and promote growth.
So what ...
As a philosophy teacher, I don't claim to be a financial expert, but having reached out to a variety of professionals on island, I think it wise to support the following positions:
Tax
I do not support raising income tax, except possibly as a short-term measure to bridge urgent gaps.
We need to diversify our Tax Base. Guernsey cannot rely solely on income tax.
A tax on spending could be just one part of a wider reform. We must build a fairer, simpler, and more sustainable system. GST+ may be part of the solution. While it has critics, with proper mitigations, lower-income households can be protected or even be better off. But this will only succeed with clear public communication and education.
I support moving toward a 0-15 corporate tax model, but only in cooperation with Jersey.
We must support our tax administration and ensure all tax owed is being collected.
Economic growth
Guernsey must become a place where entrepreneurship and innovation thrive. That means creating the right conditions for businesses to grow, including being less risk-averse.
We need a strategy to broaden Guernsey’s economic base, particularly within the financial sector, to build long-term resilience. (But also outside the financial sector.) Capital spending should be prioritised based on need and pragmatism. This requires tough but necessary decisions to ensure public money is well spent.