Chief minister's gaslighting remark 'unacceptable'

A Tynwald committee has called for the Isle of Man's chief minister to withdraw remarks that accused the former health minister of "gaslighting".

Alfred Cannan said Lawrie Hooper's resignation speech on 15 October was a "fabrication" of facts and accused him of "gaslighting" the Council of Ministers and the public over Manx Care's funding.

The full response was delivered by Cannan a day later in Tynwald, while Hooper was away on parliamentary business.

The Tynwald Standards and Members' Interests Committee found the chief minister's remarks were "unacceptable" and he had delivered "a public attack on Mr Hooper's character".

In his resignation statement in October, Hooper said: "I cannot in good conscience continue to serve a chief minister who has set out to both publicly and privately undermine my ability to do the job that is required."

He added that he believed Cannan had an "ultimate aim to try and privatise our health service".

On 16 October, when Hooper was not present, Cannan responded: "That statement on privatisation was of course a fabrication.

"It is a falsehood and a slur on the Council of Ministers."

Cannan also accused Hooper of gaslighting the Council of Ministers and the public by stating the island's health service was underfunded.

Hooper reported the remarks to the Tynwald Standards and Members' Interests Committee.

It reviewed the comments made during the October Tynwald sitting, as well as the later House of Keys meeting on 29 October when members debated a motion of no confidence in the chief minister, which ultimately failed.

During the discussion several members criticised Cannan's remarks about Hooper.

In response Cannan he told members: "Where I have fallen short, I am sorry."

In its report the committee said: "Accusations of lying are unacceptable."

It concluded Cannan's language had been "unacceptable" and "it is not acceptable parliamentary practice for one member to characterise what another member has said as fabrication, falsehood or gaslighting".

The committee called for the chief minister to formally withdraw his remarks in May's Tynwald sitting.

It has also recommended training for all members "in the principles of parliamentary language and debate".

The committee's report and recommendations will be debated at the May sitting of Tynwald.

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