Party Politics
In 2005, Southern was a founding member of the Jersey Democratic Alliance and upon the retirement of Chairman Rev Tony Keogh he was elected to the leadership of that party. His election fomented the split in the party which led to the formation of the short-lived Centre Party.
He was one of two JDA candidates in the 2005 Senatorial elections but neither was unsuccessful. He ran in the Deputy elections the following month as an independent (though remained a member of the party) and retained his seat. In 2006 he stepped down from the chair.
In the 2008 deputies' elections, Southern was one of four JDA candidates elected. When the three other members subsequently left the party and continued to sit as independents, Southern remained the only member of the States assembly formally affiliated to a political party. In August 2011, he announced that he would be standing as an independent in the October 2011 elections.
Read more about this topic: Geoff Southern
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