You're fired! Panel rules on Guernsey Deputy's social comments

Having investigated seven complaints, the panel has taken the unprecedented decision to recommend that Deputy Chris Le Tissier is not fit to be a States Deputy having breached multiple sections of the island’s Code of Conduct for politicians.

Using the Twitter handle @Radiosutch299, the first-time Deputy told prominent historian Dr Gilly Carr to “leave Guernsey alone” because she is “non local”, while also criticising Deputy Gavin St Pier with the same retort.

Deputy Le Tissier has also been caught repeatedly commenting on States business – since his election – under the apparent guise of a concerned member of the public, purportedly “listening while working from home.”

An investigation by Bailiwick Express into the Deputy’s social media behaviour unearthed links between a YouTube account ‘Radio Sutch’ – which was visibly Deputy Le Tissier – and the Twitter account, which most recently went under the username ‘The Pirate’, before it was deleted.

Deputy Le Tissier admitted that the @Radiosutch299 account belonged to him following the publication of Express’ stories on 3 and 4 March. He had originally declined to comment when the allegations were put to him, while his political party has attempted to distance itself from Deputy Le Tissier’s social media posts.

Guernsey’s States Members’ Code of Conduct Panel published their report on Monday:

“The panel ruled that the breaches were so severe that he should not be allowed to continue as one of Guernsey’s representatives.The Panel heard from each of the complainants and Deputy Le Tissier individually and considered in detail all their evidence, both written and oral.

“For the reasons set out in detail in its report, the Panel concluded that Deputy Le Tissier has breached each of sections 3, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 of the States’ Members Code of Conduct by his use of and what he wrote on a Twitter account using the pseudonym “The Pirate” and other names for the same account.

The Panel decided that this case falls under section 39 in that the severity and extent of the breaches is such that its recommendation is that the appropriate sanction is that Deputy Le Tissier should be expelled from Membership of the States.

“These findings have been sent to the States’ Assembly & Constitution Committee with a request that it submit the report to the Presiding Officer as soon as possible for inclusion in a Billet d’État with the recommendations of the Panel.”

Pictured: A now-deleted youtube video contains a surreal depiction of the USA bombing Guernsey to a distorted rendition of ‘Sarnia Cherie’ on Liberation Day 2015.