The Jersey Democratic Alliance was launched in April 2005 by close friends and political allies Senator Ted Vibert and Deputy Geoff Southern. The party’s ethos is to represent the best interests of the island’s ordinary working people who, for generations, have been the backbone of Jersey’s prosperity. The JDA’s long-term objective is to provide an accountable, transparent alternative to a system of government made largely ineffectual by the conflicting interests of 53 individual States Members with no clear political ideology, and now dominated by a multi-millionaire ‘establishment’ elite.

Common-sense politics for common-sense people

In stark contrast to the traditions of the post war years, the JDA, in the elections of 2005, produced a manifesto outlining a coherent programme of policies, aims and objectives.

Funding partnership with the internationally renowned Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust

The months since the spring of 2007 have been a period of real growth and development for the JDA, with membership rising to its highest level since the 2005 launch. The party knew that it would be difficult to compete effectively in the 2008 elections without a significant source of funding for their campaigns, so in March of that year, party representatives travelled to Westminster to meet with Trustees of the renowned pro-democracy organisation, the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.

Impressed by the professionalism and democratic ideals of the JDA, the Trustees committed to provide the party with matching funding to the value of £28,000 to help the JDA promote democratic reform.

The JDA Today

2007-2010 was a period of real growth for the JDA, with more young people in particular joining. We are now firmly established at the vanguard of the push for much-needed electoral reform to give Jersey the transparent and accountable government its people deserve.

The JDA calls for all who genuinely wish to make Jersey a fairer, more prosperous place to look beyond differences and work together.

The aims and objectives of the JDA are:
To formulate and promote political policies that adhere to the following principles:
• In line with the Clothier report, the States of Jersey should consist of 44 single type of members, elected on parish based boundaries

• Government in Jersey should be open, honest and transparent.
• The public interest will be paramount at all times.
• Government in Jersey will be open, honest and transparent.
• Trade unions will be recognised as an important part of Jersey society.
• The role of States members is to do the greatest good for the greatest number.
• The JDA believes that Jersey is a special place with unique laws and customs, countryside, traditions, language and privileges and that these must be preserved and maintained when it is clear that their retention is appropriate.
• To ensure that policies put forward promote the values enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights.