Politics
Ashford Apologises
Mr Ashford said the behaviour of senior members of the DHSC during his time at the helm was ‘abhorrent’
David Ashford has apologised for what happened to Dr Rosalind Ranson during his time as minister.
Dr Ranson was unfairly dismissed from her role a medical director after whistleblowing.
Speaking for the first time in Tynwald on the matter since his resignation from gov last year, Mr Ashford said the behaviour of senior members of the DHSC during his time at the helm was ‘abhorrent’ and not even worthy of the sort of behaviour seen in a a school playground.
Mr Ashford said that he had raised issues around culture during his time as minister, but said culture was ‘like a tanker’ that couldn’t just be stopped and the course changed at a moment’s notice.
He added that if people think changing a minister or the leadership of a department will change the culture, they are ‘deluded’.
Mr Ashford has said he will support the Chief Minister’s motion to establish a committee to launch a review into the handling of the tribunal.
The Douglas North MHK says he wants to see a mechanism in place for a fuller investigation to allow the person conducting this review to compel people to give evidence, echoing the rules in place for Kate Brunner KC’s review into the gov’s handling of the pandemic.
Tynwald is continuing to debate the formation of a committee to appoint an individual to review the gov’s actions during the Dr Ranson scandal.
