Analysis: Ministers must decide - back him or sack him

Thursday 01 June 2017

A group of Jersey's Ministers is being forced to make a tough decision - back the Chief Minister in his decision to reappoint Senator Philip Ozouf, even though they strongly disagreed with it - or support a vote of no confidence which would see the whole Council of Ministers fall.

The group, which is thought to make up around half of the Council of Ministers, has been locked on a collision course with that decision, every since the announcement to re-appoint Senator Ozouf was published just before 18:30 on the Friday evening before the long bank holiday weekend, and half-term.

At a meeting the day before, the Ministers discussed re-appointing the controversial Senator - who had "stepped aside" following the Innovation Fund scandal - and were urged to come together as a team. 

Ultimately, it was felt that bringing Senator Ozouf back as an Assistant Minister was Senator Gorst decision alone, since it was an appointment within his own department. 

Later, Ministers privately argued that with less than a year to go until the elections, they hoped it wasn't worth bringing down the whole Council of Ministers over, with others using the forthcoming report into historical child abuse in Jersey as a reason for stability, not a mass ministerial defenestration. 

But back-bench States Members took a different view, with Constable Chris Taylor yesterday acting as a lightning rod for their dissatisfaction - his decision to bring a vote of no confidence in the Chief Minister, is over three main issues: the sudden decision to withdraw the critical hospital funding proposals, just hours before the debate, even though the Island's Treasury Minister Senator Alan Maclean supported them; a statement from the Chief Minister exonerating Senator Ozouf, and censuring Senators Maclean and Farnham, over the Innovation Fund scandal, when many members felt that was not a fair reflection of a QC's report on the matter; and finally, the decision to reappoint Senator Ozouf as an Assistant Minister itself. 

Constable Taylor is now urging his colleagues to register their support for his proposal ahead of decision day, in the hope that if enough members support it, the Chief Minister will be persuaded to resign without an acrimonious debate in the States Assembly. 

A statement from the Chief Minister's Department said he was on holiday this week, but until he returns, his Deputy, Senator Andrew Green would talk to Constable Taylor, and try and dissuade him from going ahead. 

The States accounts for 2016 are published next week, and are predicted to show a positive picture - no doubt some Ministers will be planning to use that as justification for the good work they are doing and the need to not 'rock the boat.'

In the meantime, Constable Taylor will be gathering support for a debate which will put those ministers who don't support Senator Ozouf in a very difficult position - do they vote with the Council of Ministers, or according to their own conscience.

Ironically, that question of Ministers having to vote together according to 'collective responsibility,' is one that the Chief Minister himself has indicated he may review.