THE Jersey Democratic Alliance was born last night, with all the glitz and glamour of a US presidential election.

Close on 1,000 people crowded into Fort Regent for the launch of the new party.

They heard from Senator Ted Vibert , Deputy Geoff Southern and Trinity’s Rector, the Rev Tony Keogh, about a new party that would ‘change the face of Jersey politics’ and seek to wrest the first ever Council of Ministers from the political ‘establishment’ after the introduction of ministerial government, which will follow this autum’s elections.

There were standing ovations, cameo roles from veterans René Liron and Emile Collins, and even a brass band playing, as the JDA announced their intention to put up a candidate for every seat in this year’s elections, based on a manifesto produced by their members over the coming months.

Mr Keogh, the interim chairman of the JDA, backed Senator Vibert’s claim that the party would be seeking control of the council of ministers at the end of the year, not just providing organised opposition.

Asked what he thought the ‘political establishment’ were thinking about the new party, he said: ‘I think they are probably wishing it would all go away.

They are going to wake up and think that it was a nasty nightmare.

‘I hope we get across the message that this is just the start.

All the questions that people have and want to ask will get answered in due course as we set up these groups and panels.’