Ministerial Council Dismisses MHK from Health Department Role

A Member of the House of Keys, Chris Thomas, who was one of two individuals appointed to the Department of Health and Social Care, has been dismissed. This action follows his support for a vote of no confidence against the chief minister. Mr. Thomas’s appointment as a departmental member, alongside David Ashford, occurred on 18 October, subsequent to the departure of former health minister Lawrie Hooper. The Council of Ministers stated that his vote opposing Alfred Cannan and his public intention to seek the chief minister position, should it become vacant, had “undermined” their working relationship. The Member for Douglas Central expressed that he was “disappointed”, noting that even though he did not support Chief Minister Cannan in the confidence vote, he endorsed Cannan’s efforts to manage excessive health spending. The financial situation of the island’s healthcare provider has garnered significant attention after a projected overspend of £16.8 million was confirmed, adding to its existing £346 million budget for the current financial year. Lawrie Hooper’s resignation last month stemmed from a dispute concerning £5 million in extensive planned cost-reduction cuts proposed by Manx Care. Chief Minister Cannan subsequently assumed the health portfolio as an interim minister and proceeded to appoint the two new members. Soon after these appointments, and prior to the confidence vote, Mr. Thomas declared his candidacy for the chief minister role and subsequently supported the no-confidence motion. Chief Minister Cannan ultimately survived this motion on 29 October. Chief Minister Cannan commented that it was “regrettable” that Mr. Thomas’s recent conduct had “required the Council of Ministers to take this step”. He further explained that the government code “clearly sets out the importance of a positive and productive relationship between a minister and members” within a department. Cannan asserted that Thomas had “directly undermined that relationship” and, “ethically”, should have resigned from his position “when he undertook these actions”. Responding to his removal, Mr. Thomas, who had previously advocated for changes to the governance of the healthcare body, reiterated his “disappointed” at being dismissed. He stated that he had accepted the position with the aim of contributing to the revitalization of healthcare, which he described as “of vital importance to our island”. He added that while he held reservations about certain aspects of Chief Minister Cannan’s leadership, he had, during the confidence vote debate, “complimented him on how he had personally involved himself in the healthcare turnaround and he was delighted to work with him on that basis”.