The man who – love him or hate him – has transformed the political world in the last couple of years with his firebrand style has announced his retirement owing to ill health.
Although he had been expected to take a rest on doctor’s orders, he has now said that he will not be fit to stand in this autumn’s elections.
In a short statement issued on Saturday, he said: ‘I expect to be off work for a number of weeks so that I can recover but it is also clear that I will not be fit enough to take part in elections in October.
I am making this announcement early so that my political friends and colleagues can make their plans accordingly.’ At first glance it looks like a blow for the fledgling Jersey Democratic Alliance but such was Senator Vibert’s ability to both attract and repel voters, some believe it could actually help the alliance’s cause as it strives to wrestle power from the unofficial ‘establishment’ in this autumn’s polls.
Alliance member Deputy Geoff Southern – the Senator’s closest political ally – is among those who think that, ironically, it could make the party stronger.
‘It is an opportunity for us to get our structures right and to spread the load out,’ he said.’It was looking like a one-man band but now we can establish a team of people doing the same work with teamwork.
In that sense, it could be seen as a positive.’
