After a long debate, the States Assembly has voted 13-34 to retain Ian Gorst as Chief Minister of Jersey, despite many members expressing serious concerns about the conduct of Ministers behind the scenes and growing dissatisfaction from both inside and outside the States.
There had been months of speculation that the Treasury Minister, Senator Alan Maclean, and the Economic Development Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, were furious at the way the Chief Minister had publicly criticised their role in the Jersey Innovation Fund scandal where up to £1.4m of taxpayers money has been wasted, whilst at the same time claiming that his Assistant Minister, Senator Philip Ozouf, had somehow been exonerated. Rumours were circulating that those Ministers were preparing to resign if Senator Ozouf remained in government.
On the morning of the debate, the Chief Minister announced that Ozouf had been sacked as an Assistant Minister, in a last ditch attempt to save his own skin by throwing his most loyal colleague under a bus.
This tactic was to prove successful, with those formerly revolting Ministers then lining up to speak in support of the Chief Minister, seemingly unconcerned by the knives still lodged in their backs.
Reform Jersey deputies spoke in the debate and listed their concerns about the leadership of Ian Gorst, from his record of increasing levels of poverty in Jersey and misleading the States about it, to the incompetence shown over the funding for the new hospital.
Within hours of the debate, before the dust had even settled, the Chief Minister appeared on BBC Radio Jersey, indicating his wish to bring Senator Ozouf back into government as soon as possible.
The Chief Minister’s position had seemed secured, but unrest continues to grow and the likelihood that the Council of Ministers enters the next election campaign divided increases.
How they voted -
| Pour | Contre |
| Senator Sarah Ferguson | Senator Paul Routier |
| Constable Sadie Rennard (St Saviour) | Senator Philip Ozouf |
| Constable Chris Taylor (St John) | Senator Alan Maclean |
| Deputy Geoff Southern (St Helier) | Senator Ian Gorst |
| Deputy John Le Fondré (St Lawrence) | Senator Lyndon Farnham |
| Deputy Kevin Lewis (St Saviour) | Senator Philip Bailhache |
| Deputy Montfort Tadier (St Brelade) | Senator Andrew Green |
| Deputy Tracey Vallois (St John) | Constable Simon Crowcroft (St Helier) |
| Deputy Mike Higgins (St Helier) | Constable Len Norman (St Clement) |
| Deputy Jeremy Maçon (St Saviour) | Constable John Refault (St Peter) |
| Deputy Sam Mézec (St Helier) | Constable Deidre Mezbourian (St Lawrence) |
| Deputy Simon Bree (St Clement) | Constable Juliette Gallichan (St Mary) |
| Deputy Terry McDonald (St Saviour) | Constable Michael Paddock (St Ouen) |
| Constable Steve Pallett (St Brelade) | |
| Constable Michel Le Troquer (St Martin) | |
| Not present for the vote - | Constable John Le Maistre (Grouville) |
| Deputy Judy Martin (St Helier) | Constable Philip Le Sueur (Trinity) |
| Deputy Louise Doublet (St Saviour) | Deputy Carolyn Labey (Grouville) |
| Deputy Jacky Hilton (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Anne Pryke (Trinity) | |
| Deputy Eddie Noel (St Lawrence) | |
| Deputy Susie Pinel (St Clement) | |
| Deputy Steve Luce (St Martin) | |
| Deputy Rod Bryans (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Kristina Moore (St Peter) | |
| Deputy Richard Rondel (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Andrew Lewis (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Richard Renouf (St Ouen) | |
| Deputy Russell Labey (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Scott Wickenden (St Helier) | |
| Deputy Murray Norton (St Brelade) | |
| Deputy David Johnson (St Mary) | |
| Deputy Graham Truscott (St Brelade) | |
| Deputy Peter McLinton (St Saviour) |
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