SENATOR Dick Shenton has backed the fledgling Jersey Democratic Alliance in a letter to his supporters.

The Senator, who is recovering from a heart attack, says that an alliance of States Members could help to restore pride in Jersey and support industries like tourism and agriculture.

He has written to people who contacted him over the proposed sales tax and the Les Pas deal asking them to support the idea of a party, which he says could help to redress the balance between the rich and the poor in the Island.

And he says that if he were fit and well, he would be up on the platform with the new alliance members tonight.

Senator Shenton wrote: ‘An alliance of States Members would be able to present policies to the electorate on health, social security, education, housing, immigration and the economy which will restore pride in our lovely Island.

We need to end the divisiveness which plagues our Island by introducing a fair tax system, so that the burden falls equally on those with the ability to pay and not unjustly penalise those on fixed incomes or the young families, who are our wealth creators.’