Lee Carpenter
Lee Carpenter has declared his intention to stand in the upcoming 2026 Deputies Election in District 5, representing Reform Jersey. \[jerseyeveningpost.com\]
Lee Carpenter, a 44-year-old Research Analyst in Jersey's finance industry with qualifications in Green & Sustainable Finance and Climate Risk, is standing as a Reform Jersey candidate for Deputy in St Helier Central. He criticizes successive governments for failing to address the high cost of living, housing unaffordability, stagnating wages, soaring rents, and exorbitant childcare costs. His platform calls for action to make Jersey affordable for young people and families, including removing GST from essentials.
Issue PositionsAI-extracted
Raises alarm over 10% of islanders unable to afford essentials, stagnating wages, soaring rents, and high childcare costs driving down birth rates.
Urgently tackle unaffordable childcare
“we must urgently tackle unaffordable childcare”
Highlights dramatic rises in house prices and rents preventing young people from saving for deposits and raising families.
"Over the past two decades, house prices in Jersey have risen by 140%. Rents by 128%."
Advocates removing GST from essential items to improve affordability.
Remove GST from essential items
“look to remove GST from essential items”
Lee Carpenter
Candidate for Deputy St. Helier Central
For increasing numbers of people, Jersey has simply become far too expensive. Whether struggling to get on the housing ladder or just putting food on the table, we’ve reached the stage where 10% of islanders are now forced to go without essentials like food or heating, while a staggering 45% of us have nothing left over after covering necessities. Its little wonder younger people are finding it impossible to save for deposits. Wages have stagnated while rents have soared. Increasingly, younger people no longer see the island as a viable option to raise a family, while birth numbers have fallen to their lowest since records began, driven partly by exorbitant childcare costs. The status quo is clearly unsustainable and if we don’t reverse these trends, it is no exaggeration to say we face an existential threat to our future prosperity and social cohesion.