MARY LOWE, Dave Jones and Mike Torode were the shock inclusions in the first Policy Council elected yesterday. Deputies Lowe, often seen as an outsider in the States, and Torode were the only names approved by the House that did not come from Chief Minister Laurie Morgan.

And Deputy Jones, who took the Housing mantle after just four years in the States, admitted that even he was surprised to be offered the role.

‘I was shocked when Laurie Morgan rang me up and said he had me in mind because Bernard [Flouquet] was going to move. I really was genuinely shocked,’ said the former Housing Authority vice-president.

‘But I tell you this – when I get my teeth into something I’m like a terrier and I will produce.’

Deputy Lowe played on the fact that her seven years on the Social Security Authority would provide much needed continuity in that department with only one other former member still in the States.

She defeated Jean Pritchard, Chief Minister Morgan’s nomination, by a single vote.

‘This is the best day of my political career inside the House. I think the States wanted some form of continuity on such an important department.’

Deputy Torode bounced back from his failure in Saturday’s chief minister election, where he polled six votes, comfortably to defeat two rivals in the battle for the Home Department. He will stay in the role he has occupied for more than a decade.

He said he would continue to be frank, honest and transparent in the Policy Council.

‘I hope it will take Guernsey politics forward.’

Deputy Flouquet, who narrowly failed to become chief minister, took on the poisoned chalice of Environment – a mixture of the Island Development Committee and Traffic.

‘I hope to remove the poison from the chalices,’ said the Castel deputy, who also secured deputy chief minister from Peter Roffey, Chief Minister Morgan’s preferred candidate.

There were also roles for newcomer Stuart Falla, at Commerce and Employment, and youthful Lyndon Trott, who claimed the high-profile Treasury and Resources ministry from a field of three.

Effectively returned in their former roles were Deputy Roffey at Health, Martin Ozanne at Education and former Recreation president and Arts vice-president Peter Sirett at the new Culture and Leisure Department.

Deputy Bill Bell claimed the ministry at Public Services.

Chief Minister Morgan presented his choices as ‘a balanced Policy Council with a range of experience, age, talents and political viewpoints to form a team working in unison’.

Afterwards he said he was happy with the way the elections had gone. The new council meets for the first time on Friday.

‘I was convinced that I couldn’t get 10 out of 10 and I’m very happy with eight from 10.

‘As I said on Saturday, we must aim to regain the confidence of the electorate with transparent and accountable government.’

He revealed that he had asked Deputy Flouquet to switch from Housing to Environment and that he had expected there to be a contest. But none emerged.