Party mulls new name amid confusion with Reform UK

Reform Jersey is to consider a new name after members voted at the party's annual general meeting to launch a consultation on changing it.

The move comes to avoid any mistaken connection with the Reform UK party, which is not connected to the Jersey-based political party.

Reform Jersey was set up in 2014 as an alternative to the centre right politics that had traditionally dominated government in Jersey, while Reform UK was created in 2021 after changing its name from the Brexit Party.

Reform Jersey chair Helen Evans said: "Given the ever-increasing national media coverage of Nigel Farage's party, it is clear now that we do need to change our name."

Members backed a motion requiring a consultation on a name change and a special meeting to discuss the issue by 31 October.

The AGM also produced an unexpected deadlock in the race to become party leader.

Deputies Lyndsay Feltham and Montfort Tadier received exactly the same number of votes in a secret ballot, leaving the contest without a winner.

After discussions with Evans, the pair agreed to lead the party together on an interim basis until a fresh leadership vote could be held.

Evans said the result was "not something we had anticipated" but it also "reflects the considerable strength of the party, in that we have two highly capable members of the parliamentary party who are prepared to take on the role of party leader".

Feltham had been serving as interim leader since the States Assembly election on 8 July.

Tadier will now join her as co-leader while arrangements are made to rerun the contest.

Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.