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As Jersey's senior politicians discuss whether Senator Philip Ozouf should be allowed back onto the Council of Ministers, previously confidential e-mails reveal the extent to which his activities have divided his colleagues.
Published following a request under the Freedom of Information law, the e-mails between ministers in the month of October 2014 - the month of the last general election - show that a group of Senator Ozouf's colleagues lobbied the Chief Minister to prevent him being asked to continue in the key Treasury Minister role. They also shed light on the deal that was done with Senator Alan Maclean to put him forward for that job instead.
In a rare glimpse of what goes on at the top of Jersey politics, the e-mails were initially heavily redacted - key sections had been blacked out.
But following an appeal, and a ruling by the Data Protection Commissioner Emma Martins (one of the first of its kind), the Chief Minister's Department has now released fuller versions of the e-mails - although much of the information they contain has still been hidden.
Their publication comes just days after a report into which politicians were responsible for failures in the Innovation Fund - Senator Philip Ozouf, the Assistant Minister responsible for innovation, resigned after those failures first became known, but the Chief Minister is now considering reappointing him, based on his interpretation of the recent report, which says that Senator Ozouf wasn't legally responsible for the fund until April 2014 - although it was widely believed that he was in charge of it far earlier.
The possibility of re-appointing Senator Ozouf to the Council of Ministers is splitting his colleagues, with some praising his hard work and commitment to the Island, and others privately describing him as a divisive figure.
The newly released e-mails will now become part of that debate.
In one of them, the current Environment Minister, Deputy Steve Luce, who in October 2014 was looking for a ministerial job, wrote to the Chief Minister on the 18th October 2014, setting out the concerns of potential new ministers about Senator Ozouf being proposed as Treasury Minister:
"I met with Eddie (Noel), Susie (Pinel) and Steve P(allett) yesterday. We discussed how the top positions might go, and the difficulties of getting four people into three jobs...
We have taken further soundings....and PO in the Treasury is not (in our view) an option. I personally understand that there is very recent talk that the [WORDS BLACKED OUT]...but this news, if (or when) it gets out will, I feel, be the final straw for many. Philip has to move out of T & R (Treasury and Resources). We have a plan you might want to consider. Would you like to see us? ....or me ? Monday afternoon is the only time all four of us can make it....I am more flexible.
There is, of course, no rush...but I thought you ought to know that the level of desire for change at the Treasury is strong."
It's not clear what's been blacked out, but it might be reference to the potential deficit in States finances, which only became clear after the October 2014 elections.
From the e-mails it appears that an inner circle of Senators Gorst, Routier and Green were taking the lead on who the Chief Minister would propose for his new Council - following Deputy Luce's e-mail, this is an e-mail from Senator Gorst, to the other two, on the 19th October:
"Eddie, phoned me on Friday night to warn me about their thoughts! We have a lot of sounding out to do.
See you both tomorrow at 10.
I'm seeing Alan again at 9.00!"
The key day for a decision on who would be put forward for the critical role as Treasury Minister came a week later on the 24th October.
Early in the day, Senator Ozouf wrote to Senator Gorst lobbying for him not to do a deal with Alan Maclean, and also revealing the input he had into the Chief Minster's public statements:
"Speaking with Steve now. Suggest no offering to Alan yet. Working on your statement. Needs drumming up."
But by early afternoon, a deal had been done. This is from the Chief Minister to Senators Green and Routier, presumably referring to Senator Maclean, who at the time was considering a run at the Chief Minister's job:
"We have a deal! Treasury and NOT DCM. (Deputy Chief Minister)
Thanks, just now waiting for the left candidate, I hear it might be Simon C! Thanks again for your support."
Meanwhile, the e-mails reveal what is commonly thought to be a source of the tension surrounding Senator Ozouf - his input into other people's areas of responsibility, and they also reflect his long-running conflict with Senator Maclean.
This e-mail shows the overlap between his international work promoting Jersey as a financial services centre, and that of Senator Bailhache as External Relations Minister. It was sent from Senator Ozouf to Senator Gorst on the 31st October, 2014:
"Need to confirm inter alia sir p's remit. He was a bit territorial during an hour tel conversation. Suggested that he appoint me as his assistant. Probably the best way forward for international tax.
Alan has been stirring pot about 'why was Philip in Berlin?' Shouldn't it have been you? Philip (B)...."
Coming in the middle of the ministerial discussions on Senator Ozouf's political future, the October 2014 e-mails shed an interesting light on his role in the corridors of power, and on the personality clashes which are commonly hidden from public view.
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