Party ideology and policies

In the 2005 elections, the Centre Party's policies were:

• Against the proposed 3% Goods and Services Tax
  Goods and Services Tax
  A goods and services tax or value added tax is a tax on exchanges.By country:*Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax *Goods and Services Tax...
  
   (GST)
• Against the continuation of the 20% income tax
• Abolish the Vehicle Registration Duty for smaller cars
• Would like to introduce a pay-as-you-earn
  PAYE
  Pay as you earn or PAYE refers to a system of withholding of income tax from payments to employees. Amounts withheld are treated as advance payments of income tax due. They are refundable to the extent they exceed tax as determined on tax returns. PAYE may also refer to withholding of the...
  
   (PAYE) system of income taxation
• Would like to introduce a Manx-style immigration policy
• Would like to introduced right-to-buy for State tenants.
• Encourage fish-farming and organic farming
• Encourage the use of renewable energy
• Permit English barristers to appear in the Jersey courts
  Courts of Jersey
  The Courts of Jersey are responsible for the administration of justice in the Bailiwick of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands. They apply the law of the Island, which is a mixture of customary law and legislation passed by the legislature, the States Assembly....
  
  , changing the rule that Jersey advocates had exclusive rights of audiance
• Separation of the spheres of executive and judicial areas.
• Reduce the number of Civil Service Departments.

History

The Centre Party was one of two political parties formed in response to constitutional reforms due to be introduced in December 2005, when the States of Jersey Law 2005 implemented recommendations of the Clothier review by creating a system of ministerial government—with Council of Ministers

Council of Ministers of Jersey

The Council of Ministers is the collective institution of executive government in Jersey. The Council co-ordinates policies and administration, especially policy affecting two or more ministers, prioritises executive and legislative proposals, and presents a "Strategic Plan for Jersey" for approval...

 headed by a Chief Minister

Chief Minister of Jersey

The Chief Minister of Jersey is the head of government of Jersey. The head of government is not directly elected by the people but rather by the legislature ....

 in place of a committee-based system of administration.

Some of its founding members, including Senator Paul Le Claire

Paul Le Claire

Paul Vincent Le Claire was a member of the States of Jersey from 1999 to 2011. He represented the Saint Helier District No.1 constituency and between 1999 and 2005 had an island-wide mandate as a Senator.-Biography:He was born in 1963 in Jersey...

, had initially belonged to Jersey Democratic Alliance

Jersey Democratic Alliance

The Jersey Democratic Alliance is Jersey's only registered political party. JDA candidates contested general elections in 2005 and 2008 but announced in August 2011 that it would not be fielding candidates in the October 2011 elections....

 – the other party created in 2005 – but left believing the JDA was too left wing. The Centre Party's first chairman was Larry Adams.

In 2006 the Centre Party renewed its commitment to instituting change in Jersey. At the 2006 Annual Meeting, Roger Benest was elected to serve as chairman with Larry Adams taking the role of Deputy Chairman. The party further indicated that it would support candidates in the 2008 Senatorial elections and renewed its commitment to implement its policies.

In 2007, the party announced that it would ballot its members on whether;

• To become the Jersey Conservative Party
• To become the Jersey Liberal Party
• How closely it should seek to affiliate to a United Kingdom party

It was announced in July 2007 that the Centre Party would contest the next elections as the Jersey Conservative Party.

Election results

In the October 2005 elections two Centre Party candidates stood for the six vacant Senator seats. Neither was successful, with sitting Senator Paul Le Claire

Paul Le Claire

Paul Vincent Le Claire was a member of the States of Jersey from 1999 to 2011. He represented the Saint Helier District No.1 constituency and between 1999 and 2005 had an island-wide mandate as a Senator.-Biography:He was born in 1963 in Jersey...

 finishing 8th with 5,413 votes and losing his seat. The other Centre Party candidate, Kevin Lewis, polled 10th with 5,028 votes.

Six members of the Centre party stood in the November 2005 elections for deputies, though they did so as independents. Paul Le Claire

Paul Le Claire

Paul Vincent Le Claire was a member of the States of Jersey from 1999 to 2011. He represented the Saint Helier District No.1 constituency and between 1999 and 2005 had an island-wide mandate as a Senator.-Biography:He was born in 1963 in Jersey...

 and Kevin Lewis were elected as deputies, and reelected as independents in the 2008 elections

Jersey general election, 2008

The Jersey general election, 2008 was a series of elections that were taking place in two stages in October and November 2008 in Jersey.- Constable elections :...

.