Jersey’s Chief Minister’s attempt to sanction Scrutiny chief thrown out

Jersey’s Chief Minister has failed in his attempt to get a senior politician into trouble for criticising former government chief executive Charlie Parker.

Senator John Le Fondré complained to the Commissioner for Standards after Senator Kristina Moore gave an interview to ITV News about Mr Parker’s departure from his top job in the civil service.

Today the Commissioner, Paul Kernaghan, concluded Senator Moore’s comments were “not overly personal or prejudicial” after the Chief Minister argued they had “undermined public confidence in the States”.

Senator Moore, in her ITV News interview in mid-March, said: “When he arrived, I was a government minister and I was supportive of the plan that was being rolled out and promised to us. After three years, I find myself, sadly, disappointed and quite pleased to see that he is going today.”

Mr Parker was asked to resign last November after it emerged he had accepted a second role as a non-executive director of a UK property company without seeking the correct written permission beforehand.

It was also revealed he was personally responsible for a misleading statement being issued to journalists which claimed he had the approval of both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.

Senator Moore is the president of the Scrutiny Liaison Committee, making her the most senior of the political watchdogs in the States Assembly.