Candidates’ expenses for the 2025 election in Guernsey will be capped at £3,000

Candidates' campaign spending for next year's Guernsey general election is capped at £3,000.

In a close vote – won by 19 votes to 18 – MPs approved a spending-restriction proposal put forward by MPs Steve Falla and Sue Aldwell.

In 2020, candidates were allowed to spend up to £6,000, while parties were limited to £12,000.

In addition to lower caps for candidates next year, the vote also approved a £6,000 cap on political party spending.

President of the States Assembly and Constitutional Affairs Committee Carl Meerveld said introducing lower limits would be like “raising the drawbridge behind us”.

MP Neil Inder agreed, saying lower limits were unfair and describing attempts to lower candidates' spending limits as “cynical”.

Earlier this year, MPs cut the £500 grant for candidates.

An attempt to re-introduce this bill was not discussed after Representative Lester Queripel unsuccessfully attempted to introduce an amendment.

MP Falla said the 2020 elections were “a guinea pig election and now that we have a clearer picture of 2025, we know what people want”.

He said: “We don't have to follow the rules of 2020 and continue the more cumbersome elements of this election.”

BBC analysis in 2021 showed that the lowest-spending candidates had the lowest chances of success in the first island-wide parliamentary election.

Health and Human Services President Al Brouard said the spending cut proposal felt “like Big Brother,” meaning candidates “could only use the government handbook” sent out by the States of Guernsey along with all candidate programs.

He called on the population to reject calls for a lower limit and to allow people to campaign according to their own ideas.

Although the SACC was instructed by states earlier this year to submit proposals for DBS checks for election candidates, it has not submitted these proposals for next year's elections.