New Deputy – but just who’s pulling the strings?
Wednesday 3rd December 2008, 2:59PM GMT.
DEPUTY-elect Jeremy Maçon was forced to answer a question about his political independence yesterday: who is the real politician – him or his mother?
During his campaign the political newcomer enjoyed sterling support from his mother, Nellie, who faithfully accompanied him to almost every hustings and who promoted his policies on the streets and in internet forums. But the 21-year-old has been warned that he should now ‘go it alone’ after apparently relying on his mother to answer a series of official States e-mails with political veteran Deputy Geoff Southern.
The e-mail conversation ended with the frustrated Deputy advising his young colleague: ‘GROW UP JEREMY – DITCH THE MOTHER.’ In the e-mails, Mrs Maçon had discussed with Deputy Southern who Members should get behind as an alternative candidate to Treasury Minister Terry Le Sueur for the position of Chief Minister. But the Deputy clearly became frustrated at not being able to deal directly with Deputy-elect Maçon.
In the e-mails, Deputy Southern wrote to Mrs Maçon: ‘I do not want to receive any more communications from you on behalf of Jeremy. He is old enough to speak for himself. If you want to be a Deputy and have access to States Members, then please stand yourself.’
• Click here for the e-mail exchange
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Why is a 21 year-old allowed into such a position anyway? Sure he was voted in but should someone so young be allowed to stand? If it wasn’t for his puppet-master of a mother pulling the strings, he’d probably be working in Spar.
What an embarrassment. This man has lost all his credability and should stand down, he’ll never live it down.
Nellie – I know you’ll read this, I love you and think you are fabulous xx
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I think the behaviour of both these new deputies is appalling. Southern is evidently trying to bully new people in the states to go along with his thinking.
As for the mother doing Jeremy’s work, well what does that tell the people who voted this boy in for £43,000.00 per annum?
What a waste of money.
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Well I don’t think it’s right for Southern to be showing the emails to the JEP. They are a private states matter. Now he is a deputy surely he could have had a private word with Mr. Macon rather than to rub all this in his face.
Isn’t it Southern and his cronies of the JDA who should be doing the growing up? Surely no-one on this island should be taking them seriously!
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The voters of St Saviour No 1 must be so proud to be elected by this fine young man. What a shining example he is to all young people. He doesn’t speak without his mother’s approval and I am sure his bedroom is immaculate
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I don’t take issue with anything Geoff Southern said in his emails… well done to him for telling Nellie (and Jeremy) what they clearly needed to hear. If Geoff leaked it to the press then all the better because the tax payers have a right to know that someone who will get their hard-earned cash isn’t remotely up to the job (before they’ve even started)!
Geoff is right. Jeremy was voted in and gets your money so he must be thinking for himself not running to mummy! It’s fraud to get yourself voted in when someone else is making all your decisions for you.
As for Geoff giving his opinion on people, I’d hardly call that bullying, isn’t that how people come to decisions? They ask people who have personal experience/knowledge of that person. I doubt Geoff is the only person Jeremey asked. That’s how politics (and life for that matter) works, don’t go crying just because it’s being seen explicitly. Do you think that when Gordon Brown is appointing cabinet members that he doesn’t talk to loads of other politicians who know the candidates better than him? It’s normal.
As for age… I wouldn’t ever vote for a 21-year old. In fact I wouldn’t vote in anyone under 30. Let’s hope that they call another election (without Jeremy of course) and get someone who actually makes their own decisions… maybe Nellie could stand!
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Most politicians seem to employ spin doctors these days. It also becomes clear later in their political lives that these so called advisors stab them in the back. So what if Mr Macon asks his mummy for advise – she is loyal to him, hard working, takes the punches from the bullies in the States’ playground and, judging by the picture included in this story, has wrapped him up with a nice warm scarfy warfy to keep the nasty cold weather at bay – just what every mum should do to their bestest ickle boy.
GO NELLIE …. !!!
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Don’t blame Jeremy.
Don’t blame Mummy.
Blame the voters who imposed him on the States of Jersey.
Perhaps in time the people will understand that the right to vote also carries a responsibility. Now, remind me, who amongst you was so keen on giving children aged 16 the right to vote?
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This boils down to a few silly emails that have been leaked to the media.
A far more serious issue is the defeat of James Reed’s proposal to put off the introduction of ’20 means 20′ for a year but no one has even noticed that!
Come the end of January next year salary payments will be noticeably lighter, couple that with the usual post Christmas slowdown and St Helier shops, car and house sales will be even slower than they are now.
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How can anyone take what this man says seriously now? ‘Oh, I can’t agree to this until I’ve run it by my mother’ HAHAHA Brilliant!
Out of interest, what does Nellie do for a living? Is this the ultimate pushy parent? It has got so bad that she’s made her son look like a complete moron!
Go Jeremy! You can rule the Island…… provided mummy’s there to hold your hand
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Something smells here.
There is no way Jeremy Macon would have leaked those emails.
It would appear that Southern used them to put down two possible contenders for the CM job and Jeremy got used.
Having spoken to Jeremy on the doorstep I can say with out any doubt he is his own person.
I say give the lad a chance before critising.
St Saviour No 1 you have elected a good Deputy who will do his best for you.
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If there is anybody to be accused of bullying then it should be Eric Blakeley and CTV. Yes our politicians deserve a hard time, but that should also extend to “establishment” politicians. Use some of that hard hitting “journalism” on some of our more senior politicians, and give the novice and easy, non media savvy target a break.
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I’m sure other States members have advisers in the form of husbands, wives or other family members pulling their strings, so why shouldn’t Deputy Elect Macon have an adviser too whether it be his mother or whomever?
Deputy Southern appeared to be quite happy to converse with Mrs Macon via email until he noted that neither she or Jeremy were willing to bow down instantly to his recommendation for CM without question.
It’s Deputy Southern who needs to grow up and he should stop bullying the new kids on the block too. Not every States member will choose to see or do things exactly as he or the JDA suggest they do!
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@ Pip Clement … a fair point, if completely off the subject.
Still, that’s the way we like politics in Jersey!
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It seems crazy that someone elected by his parish has mislead the parish after reading the emails it is clear to see that Nellie was simply using her son to attract the younger votes who thought that by electing someone there age may help to get there voices heard no such luck it seems that this may have been her way of getting the seat.
Well done to Geoff for putting Nellie in her place, from the sounds of it she is not what is needed in the states.
Please let’s hope some of the new blood elected will help us rebuild the island the old boys have destroyed.
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Give the guy a break, everyone needs advice! I think its fantastic that a 21 year old has been voted in. Give him time to prove himself…
It is an absolute disgrace that these e-mails have been leaked, another fine example of the scrupples of the present government. Maybe we need more young blood!
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It is good to see that the left-wing rabble cannot even be civil to each other let alone form a credible oppositon!
Both Southern and Macon come out of this looking bad; Southern for his personal attacks on other States Members and Macon for allowing his mother to play him like a puppet.
The so-called ‘establishment’ must be loving this episode. At least most of them act in a professional manner. They make Geoff and his ‘reformers’ look like a bunch of incompetent amateurs.
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And all of this is what you get with Party Politics, whether it’s the JDA or the imagined Establishment.
What ever happened to the traditional Jersey courtesy in Politics?
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Hi Gomann,
I am not off the subject.
I am pointing out that while the average Jersey chatterer is worrying their head about Jeremy Macon and Geoff Southern, huge issues go almost unreported and undebated.
Just wait until next year when middle Jersey finds that it has been skinned alive in this budget.
There will be howls of protest, frantic spinning from the politicians and an emergency package to save their bacon!
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Dont worry because they will be able to claim for his mother in his expenses.
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I dont think age is really an issue. You can be 65 years old and still be wet behind the ears
Just look at some of the ‘establishement’ members at present. One could argue that some of them appear to be little older than toddlers
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Well this shows the apathy of the voting for the deputies election to be honest. They couldn’t make the last election for senator and went on the basis that no one really votes in the deputies…
Jeremy has a lack of life experience and work experience to be even near that kind of wage and power, but I am sure this lesson will be learnt in time… (if Nellie will let it happen)
Geoff Southern shouldn’t be telling Jeremy how to run his life really when he himself could barely run a bath! I feel this may be his undoing….
Interesting how these emails are leaked at the same time that the UK police have arrested an MP for a similar thing…
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Jimmy, Jeremy actually currently works at Ogier.
Read the actual emails- Southern and Nellie both knew who they were corresponding with and when- both signed their own names and addressed their emails to the other by name.
Good timing to try to divide poeple before the vote for Chief Minister though- you’ve got to hand it to the media… they know how to make a moutain out of a molehill!
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I’m 17 and would never vote somebody of that age in. As to the narrowminded person who previously commented stereotyping anyone aged 16 as a ‘child’, i hope you take into consideration that
a) Many of us ‘children’ are perfectly mature enough to understand that someone aged 21 is far too young and lacking in life experience to have any sort of position like this in the states of jersey.
b) Not many of us kiddies bothered voting and those who did take it seriously most likely based their votes on the opinions of parents and family (people like you).
As for his mother i find it very sad. I wouldn’t be surprised if all emails shown were written by her and jeremy was unaware. As previously mentioned it’s clear that jeremy was a pawn in his mothers plan and was used to attract us ‘children’ (sorry, but that really gets on my nerves!)
I do however feel sad for jeremy and hope that he can break away from his mother and hopefully put this behind him. As for Southern leaking the emails? I’m undecided….
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There is only one winner out of all this, ‘TLS’.
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This really shows that the only way can keep this Island going, is to up the States salary and attract much better qualified and experienced people in. The position of deputy by these two idiots is being put into disrepute.
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Democracy! People stand for election and the one with the most votes wins!
What’s the problem?
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It’s all about spin, mostly to aid TLS to get in! The UK voters and media are all used to these tricks, it’s about time the Jersey media and general population grew up and realise when they are being used!
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Red Geoff strikes again, true colours.
Nice little insight into your scruples eh Geoff. I am really glad that I did not vote for any JDA member if this is their way of treating others.
I would have been disgusted with myself had I voted for even 1 of them after this.
does the JDA not have advisors or secretaries to assist with their day to day correspondences ?
Perhaps this is why Geoff is not a school teacher anymore, he obviously has no time for youth or their families.
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does this really matter. the (ex)US president is fed what to say on a daily basis. i doubt he even knows how to wipe his backside without someone showing him the way forwards.
so what if his mum is the brains. he has the popularity, as a team they obviously have a dregree of credibility in the island. good luck to the both of them.
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Well here we go again yet another example of JDA founder (?) member Southern trying to bully his way to power and assuming that the electorate are all idiots, which we may well be following the low turn out for the Deputy Elections.Whilst on the subject maybe Deputy Southern could sell his idea of “Party Politics” and “Democracy” to the Liberal Democrats in the UK? All they would have to do is enter 500 candidates in one “Safe” Constituency By election and they could seize power at Westminister tomorrow!
However this attempt to bully youngest Deputy elect Jeremy Macon into supporting a “Stalking Horse” candidate for the job that the JDA covert above all others, Chief Minister has been thwarted by Jeremy seeking advice from the ultimate authority, his Mum.
Well done Nellie I am aware you have made no secret of supporting Jeremy from the outset so no surprises there for the electorate, and from Deputy Southern’s churlish reaction to not succeding in railroading Jeremy into supporting a candidate for CM not of his choice by using the Press in an attempt to embarass him, you have done your job efficiently.
Sadly these bully boy tactics are nothing new for the JDA as anyone who attempted to speak in support of our Island’s Judiciary at the recent JDA orchestrated political rally in the Royal Square (In support of victims of abuse) would have discovered!
Neither is their disproportionate influence in the media questioned?
From experience I have learnt to distrust any politician or political party claiming to have “Democracy” as their sole prerogative and whose immediate reaction to anyone who disagrees with their viewpoint is to mount a highly personal attack on that individual.
(These are the tatics of Mandelson and Alistair Cambell)
In Deputy Southern’s case this is sad because the JDA put forward a very well drafted prospectus, but are they just telling the electorate what they want to hear and then, like “New Labour”, when they ultimately achieve power we discover they are something else entirely.
It’s all old hat Jeremy and you must be aware of that as you embark on your political career.To paraphrase a Second World War slogan “Be like Dad and keep Mum” only “Keep Mum about keeping Mum”
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I am not sure that increasing the salary would result in a huge increase in the calibre of candidate.
Jersey is a small island and the local pool of talent that wants to become a member of the States is limited. Look at county council members in the UK or even the average backbencher in the Commons, they are not exactly brilliant and members of the Commons get a lot more than our members.
You do get quite a bit of respect as a member of the States but at the same time you attract a lot of flack. And it is not a nine to five job by any means, people can and do phone you up about dog mess, loud parties, communal bins not getting emptied etc at any time of the day or night that they feel like it.
Another important factor is electability, Daniel Wimberley narrowly beat retired solicitor David Johnson in St Mary.
You might think a retired solicitor would be just the thing for the States but Dan Wimberly was the most popular man on the night!
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At least it is obvious who is alleged to be pulling Jeremy’s strings. I find that rather reassuring in the States of Jersey. This is what I call open government and is rather refreshing.
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Well Jeremy has not got a wife at home to off load too has he! Yes she should not have replied to the E mail and yes she should back off but give him a chance I voted for him as we need young ideas in the States Give him a chance it is obvious that most people in Jersey do not like change or innovation and no I am not 16 quite a bit older
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I believe that an elected representative of the people should act on their own conscious and not be influenced by anyone,not even their mother.
I hope that Jerememy has learnt a sharp lesson and prove that the support of his electorate has been justified.
By all means listen to the views of your parishioners, mother included, but act on your own volition.
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he was voted in because he was young and represented the generation that needed a voice – however i totally agree that his mother is making all the decisions and telling him what he should be saying. Mr Southern is absolutely fantastic – as a person and as a states member. Unlike other members he listens – much like Jeremy claims to do – i just wonder whether Jeremy will listen to Mr Southern and take his advice.
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I think Nellie’s been very silly. There’s nothing wrong with advising her son and discussing the issues with him, but replying to his States emails?!!! She’s really humiliated him and should butt out. Geoff Southern hardly comes out of it very well either. Does he seriously think Alan Breckon is of a sufficient calibre to be Jersey’s chief minister? Releasing the ‘private’ emails was also completely uncalled for and just shows what a nasty, mean-spirited little man he is!!
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by chance, I see a shop in town is stocking boxed sets of “Sorry” at the moment. Pity the early 80s sitcom about an ineffectual and emasculated man living with an awful domineering mother wasn’t funny.
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Partisan party games of the self appointed leader of the opposition Geoff Southern! Perhaps if Geoff would have listened to his mother years ago he’d still be a teacher!!
Geoff is an awful man who would rather have the new politicians seek council from him rather than from the people that elected these new deputies. It can be said he (Geoff) is a man of the people, but FOR the people perhaps not… Remember 85% of the electorate didn’t vote for Geoff, so we are left with the politics of the disenfranchised.
Arguably, we have a clear struggle for power in the left of Jersey politics. The real question of relationships is Geoff’s… Those with more power and those with less.
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I still think this whole charade is an insult to the people they both claim to represent. If you count up the votes of the JDA and Jeremy Macon it’s hardly earth shaking anyway. It’s the people’s fault. If you dont vote you get this.
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If you count up the votes of any of the members of the States it is not very impressive.
Even poll topping Ian le Marquand was elected on what would be viewed in most democracies as a low proportion of the total electorate.
No one can know what the result of a 70% turn out would be, it might suprise us all if it ever happened!
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I think that berating Jeremy Maçon achieves very little. At 21 I would expect that the prospect of being chucked into the pit of vipers that any Government can be (and I’m not singling out Jersey by any means) must be daunting enough, so it’s only natural that he’s looking to his parents and loved ones for support – however I think his mum appears to be crossing the quite clear line between support, and interference.
Jeremy has been elected to do a job, and it is his job to do – nobody else’s. Let him succeed or fail on his own merits please – as has been said before Nellie, if you want to run as a Deputy or what have you, then you’re free to tender your own application at the appropriate time – interfering with your son’s now-taken position damages his credibility and does little to bolster your own.
… but I think attacking him because he’s either a) young or b) inexperienced, whether it’s the public OR another politician that’s doing the attacking, is just pathetic. He hasn’t even had a chance to demonstrate what kind of deputy he will be – let’s just wait and see how he develops into the role, shall we ?
However, I do agree that his mum should (not just for his sake but for her own, and for the sake of the people that have placed their confidence in him) back away and leave him to do his job !!
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This has got to be the biggest non-story of the year. zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Next!
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The vast majority of the finance industry (12,000 odd people) do not vote. If they did it would be more of a ringing endorsement of the so-called establishment. At least they are pro-business and realize that without finance every other industry in Jersey would also fail (restaurants, hotels, taxi drivers, window cleaners, child minders, car dealers, cleaners to name but a few).
Lets not kid ourselves; without a return of long, hot summers to Jersey (can we petition God ?) and a change in attitude of UK travelers, tourism as we once knew it will never return (unless they start filming Bergerac II). We have to look at the high-spend, short break market which is exactly what Economic Development are focusing on.
As for agriculture, the world has changed and this is not an industry that is able to support a £500 million economy although as a local provider it should be supported.
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It is not only the majority of the finance industry that do not vote but a majority of islanders across almost all sectors and classes of the population.
The most likely voters at the present time seem to be older Jersey people and that seems to account for the fact that a lot of politicians, particularly Deputies and Constables, come from well established Jersey families.
On a high turnout you would still get an establishment majority but a lot of familiar faces could be swept away.
And people in finance are concerned about the industry but they are also concerned about the environment, the hospital, schools etc.
Any politician that thinks that business and its concerns are the be all and end all of policy is likely to find themselves on the losing side in the long run.
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Geoff Southern was quite happy to address his comments to Nellie, until he realized Jeremy wasn’t in agreement with him.
Only then did he complain! Rather have Jeremy learning to be a politician than Geoff playing headmaster.
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Well the new Government has not even been sworn in yet and it is already starting to look like joke.
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moving forward, i think the primary issue raised by this email exchange is the question of jeremy’s decision making.. are his decisions his own or are they heavily influenced by his mother?
i just hope that jeremy understands that he has to come to his decisions himself after weighing up all the available evidence..
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I still think this whole charade is an insult to the people they both claim to represent. If you count up the votes of the JDA and Jeremy Macon it’s hardly earth shaking anyway. It’s the people’s fault. If you dont vote you get this.
JTM
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nellie didn’t have access to states members emails, jeremy wasn’t sworn in till today (8th dec) and therefore didn’t have a .gov.je email address. geoff had no problems talking to nellie, after all the emails were addressed to her but when he started to hear what he didn’t like the sound of he just threw his toys out the pram basically!?
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This is so ridiculous, how blown out of proportion this is. Southern has shown his true colours, leaking that email was pathetic… and I’m sure him and every other member of the States discusses their views at home, be it with there wife, children or mother!!! And as Bob said, that was not a states members email address!
Leave Jeremy alone, we need young people with new ideas in the States and fair play to him for standing up and doing just that!
He now knows what games are played in the States now and knows to watch his back!
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Jeremy will end up as a nothing on his own. He needs to get up to speed quickly if he wants to make an impression for his voters.
I agree with all the comments about Geoff Southern. He actualy comes across as a bully.
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There is a bit of a witch hunt going on here. Jeremy shouldn’t be attacked like this. The young lad has just made it into politics and people should be giving him support not trying to shoot him down.
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Did any of you see the “leave brittney alone” video on youtube
replace brittney with jeremy and thats what you all sound like. He’s a big boy and he is more than capable of defending himself – which he did – by giving us a poor excuse(good on you Jeremy you’re learning the “states” way!)
His mother should not have replied to emails sent to ANY account. Geoff tried to give him some advice – and who said it was him that leaked the emails?
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