From UK athlete to parliament: Serena Guthrie wins senator seat BBCSerena Guthrie has been elected to the States Assembly as a senatorSerena Guthrie has become a senator in Jersey at the first time of asking, after overnight results saw her finish fifth in the islandwide vote. The Jersey-born netball gold medallist received more than 12,000 votes in total. She campaigned on issues including the cost of living, preventative healthcare and childcare provision.
She finished above the likes of veteran politicians Tom Binet and Alan Maclean.Guthrie is best known for her glittering netball career. In 15 years at the top of the sport, she made 110 appearances for England and became captain of the side. She played at three World Cups and two Commonwealth Games, winning gold in Australia in 2018.A year later she was appointed MBE for services to netball, which was presented to her by then Prince Charles, now King Charles III.
ImagesGuthrie won Commonwealth gold as part of the England netball team in 2018In 2020, she appeared on an episode of the BBC's Mastermind quiz programme. Her specialist subject was "the island of Jersey", about which she managed to answer five questions correctly. She had previously appeared on A Question of Sport.
She announced her retirement from netball in 2022 and also revealed that she was pregnant with her first child. A return to Jersey followed, where she has continued to pursue a number of sport, business and charity interests, while welcoming a second child. Pivot to politicsIn May 2026, she announced her candidacy for senator - her first foray into politics.Her pitch to voters drew heavily on her sporting success, with references to "winning and losing", teamwork and performance featuring prominently in her manifesto.
"After 16 years in elite sport, I know when performance suffers, you dive into the core of the issue, change the culture and you build a team that can deliver," she wrote. Guthrie was one of a number of candidates to align with political movement, Value Jersey, which focused heavily on the cost of living on the island. She said: "Value Jersey didn't set to be anything divisive.
In fact, it's the opposite of that. "I'm really pleased for those members who have got in and have been endorsing some of their policies as well. But now it's about working as a team and learning to get to know the 49 candidates that have been elected".During the course of the campaign, she spoke of moving back to the island in 2022 and being surprised at how expensive it had become."It was way more expensive than when I had left".She described it as "a struggle" to pay her mortgage each month, and said that while "Jersey is a brilliant place to live... it is expensive at the minute".Upon being elected, Guthrie said: "I think people just want change.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
