Guernsey Press

Politicians seek to silence unelected member of ESS

POLITICIANS are working behind the scenes to silence critical public comments.

Published
Last updated
Ross Le Brun stood in the October election but was unsuccessful. He is now a non-States member on Employment & Social Security. (29381224)

It follows recent emails and social media posts by Employment & Social Security non-States member Ross Le Brun.

Non-States members are appointed to help advise committees on their work, but they do not have a vote.

Mr Le Brun has angered some by criticism of how Education is handling the secondary transformation programme, sparking an email exchange among deputies now seen by the Guernsey Press.

Education president Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen replied in the early hours of Thursday, warning that if deputies had implied that the committee were liars, as he had in a Facebook post previously when he called them ‘billshutters’, ‘there would have been consequences’.

Economic Development president Deputy Neil Inder emailed to say he mused whether non-States members should come under the scope of a future standards panel.

He had further stoked the situation with a quickly deleted tweet on Thursday afternoon: ‘when appointed non-States members/non-voting members are openly agitating against deputies or their committees our democracy has a problem.’

He later claimed he had been trying to save it to drafts when he posted it accidentally.

Policy & Resources president Deputy Peter Ferbrache also responded to the email chain, backing the Education president.

‘I am getting truly fed up with his [Mr Le Brun’s] intemperate and wild outbursts,’ he said.

Ross Le Brun stood in October's general election and was unsuccessful, but was appointed a non-States member with no voting rights by Employment & Social Security. (Picture by Sophie Rabey, 29379557)

‘Fair enough to disagree but do it in a decent and respectful way. If Mr Le Brun feels he cannot do that, and he is a recipient of this email, he should reflect on whether he should continue to hold his political post.’

Deputy Carl Meerveld then said: ‘As president of Sacc [States’ Assembly and Constitution Committee] I have been approached by a number of deputies and members of the public expressing concerns over the rules governing the appointment, behaviour and removal of non-States members. I will be raising this issue with Sacc members as part of our broader review of the rules of procedure.’

On Twitter, Mr Le Brun said he was surprised at the response he was seeing.

‘Even if they removed me from the committee what do they think happens? I’d still ask questions. Media would still pick up on it. That’s the first email I’ve sent on a political matter, ever. I wonder if others get such a high-strung response?’

ESS president Deputy Peter Roffey put up a vigorous defence of Mr Le Brun.

He had spoken to him about the Facebook comment, but added: ‘As far as his views on politics outside of the ESS mandate are concerned, I have no intention at all of trying to muzzle him and I very much doubt I would succeed if I did.’

Non-States member's views on education provoke anger