Gorst to face a vote of no confidence

Wednesday 31 May 2017

States members are being urged to throw their support behind a vote that would remove Chief Minister Ian Gorst from the Island’s top political position.

Extreme delays to a decision on how to fund the £466m future hospital, and then Friday’s late-night reappointment of Senator Philip Ozouf as an Assistant Minister was the, “...railway sleeper that broke the camel’s back,” for Constable Chris Taylor who plans to put in the vote of no confidence against Senator Gorst.

He told Express that there is already “substantial support” amongst backbenchers who currently feel a “strong level of discomfort” with Senator Gorst’s leadership, but declined to reveal those who have already pledged to vote in favour of Senator Gorst’s removal.

Speaking about the “catalysts” that prompted his proposal, Constable Taylor told Express that the Treasury Minister’s last-minute withdrawal of hospital funding plans “just 14 hours before the debate” had been a major factor.

“We’ve had a lot of money spent on experts, we need to get on with it, and the funding mechanism is crucial… The statement the Treasury Minister made in the Assembly made it absolutely clear that it was not his decision and that he was asked to pull it. It gave us very great concern that somebody else is pulling the strings,” he said.

Pictured: Constable Chris Taylor, who has pledged to bring a Vote of No Confidence next week, speaking out in the States against the Innovation Fund scandal.

But it was the Chief Minister’s continuing support for Senator Philip Ozouf, who “stepped aside” but was later reinstated as an Assistant Minister in the wake of the Innovation Fund scandal, that ultimately sparked the vote:

“Firstly, it was the Chief Minister’s statement three weeks ago that the report into the Innovation Fund by the QC, Miss Simor, exonerated Philip Ozouf, and it did no such thing. Having read the report, it’s very clear that he is not exonerated and we’re at pains to try and establish why the Chief Minister made such a statement…

“But the straw – or the railway sleeper – that broke the camel’s back was the almost unbelievable comments at half past six on Friday that he was reinstating Philip Ozouf as his Assistant Minister… It was political suicide to appoint Philip Ozouf to his old position, and I’m just really formulating the response to that action.”

Constable Taylor only needs four signatures for the vote to be lodged at all, but added that his “dream” scenario would be for 25 politicians – an absolute majority – to pledge their support early, and for Senator Gorst to then resign, avoiding the need for an acrimonious States debate. 

“My dream would be that we can get 25 signatures… Hopefully then the Chief Minister will accept the position and stand down without debate, without the mudslinging, without the animosity and without everything else that goes with it because I don’t think it’s beneficial to the Island or to anybody to start having name-calling in the Assembly.”

A States spokesperson said: “The Chief Minister is currently on annual leave but is due to meet with Connétable Taylor on his return next week. Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister, Senator Andrew Green, will seek an earlier meeting with the Connétable, in order to begin discussions of some of the issues underlying the proposed vote of no confidence.”