Politicians yesterday voted to suspend Deputy Philip Ozouf until after he is sentenced by the Royal Court for immigration offences – but how will his suspension work?
Why is Deputy Ozouf being suspended?
The Privileges and Procedures Committee, which upholds the conduct of States Members, lodged a proposition calling for Deputy Ozouf to be suspended until his current criminal case is concluded.
In the proposition, the committee said: “The Privileges and Procedures Committee has a responsibility to protect the reputation of the Assembly and uphold Members’ standards in relation to the Code of Conduct.
“Deputy Ozouf has pleaded guilty to a number of offences under the UK ImmigrationAct 1971, as extended to Jersey and the committee considers that this warrants his suspension from the Assembly as a neutral act until the outcome of his court case is known.”
What charges has he pleaded guilty to?
In the Royal Court last month, Deputy Ozouf pleaded guilty to immigration offences linked to the employment of Rwandan nationals.
The former External Relations Minister arranged for people to work in the island without the proper authorisation, and was charged under Jersey’s Immigration Law.
Deputy Ozouf is awaiting a sentencing date as his co-accused, Roberto Lora, pleaded not guilty and is due to face trial in the Royal Court from 26 January.
The maximum punishment for the crimes is a lengthy jail sentence.
What happened in the debate yesterday?
The debate yesterday was held behind closed doors so as to “avoid any public, and potentially, prejudicial” discussion of the case.
It took politicians just over an hour to decide to suspend Deputy Ozouf.
After the vote, PPC chair Deputy Steve Ahier described it as a “difficult debate for all concerned”.
He added: “There was a great deal of civility within that debate. I think the result is the
most sensible one and the level of support was quite large.”
What is Deputy Ozouf allowed to do now that he is suspended?
Deputy Ozouf is now suspended from attending and participating in meetings of the States Assembly, but will be able to continue to serve his constituents and will be paid.
The salary which he is expected to receive between November and May, before tax, is £34,930.
When will his suspension end?
Deputy Ozouf is due to return to court on 6 February in order for a date for his sentencing to be fixed, but the PPC said that his pending court case is unlikely to be concluded before the pre-election period begins in April 2026.
This means that yesterday was likely to be Deputy Ozouf’s last appearance in the States Chamber for this term of office at least.
Can Deputy Ozouf run for office again?
Depending on the punishment he receives from the Royal Court, Deputy Ozouf may still be eligible to stand in next summer’s general election.
It is understood that he intends to put his name on the ballot and let the electorate decide his future.
Standing politicians in Jersey who do not get re-elected can receive a “loss of office” payment, which is a form of redundancy payment.
This payment is calculated based on one month’s basic remuneration for every four years of continuous service, provided they have served for at least two years.
Deputy Ozouf will have four years’ of continuous service by the election next year.
What was Deputy Ozouf’s previous suspension for?
Deputy Ozouf was suspended from the States Assembly for 28 days earlier this year, after he pleaded guilty to motoring offences.
It followed an investigation by the Commissioner for Standards into multiple complaints about the St Saviour representative’s behaviour.
After reviewing the case, Dr Melissa McCullough found that Deputy Ozouf breached four clauses of the States Members’ code of conduct: public duty, personal conduct, conflict between public and private interest, and maintaining the integrity of the States.
The Commissioner for Standards criticised Deputy Ozouf for what was described as a “lapse in judgment, a failure to respect the law and ultimately a breach of public trust”.
It came after the politician appeared before the Magistrate’s Court for driving his silver BMW along Les Ruisseaux – where the speed limit is 15mph – at 31mph on 2 November.
Deputy Ozouf subsequently failed to attend three parish hall enquiries and was summonsed to the Magistrate’s Court, where he was fined £275 for speeding and a further £300 for failing to produce valid insurance after admitting the offences.