IF THE deputy chief minister and his colleagues on the Policy Council had wanted to make what some deputies are already calling ‘Gollygate’ worse than it already is, yesterday’s performance could not have been bettered.

What was essentially a localised debate on the best way to deal with Guernsey’s number-two politician making inappropriate public remarks now threatens to become a ‘back me or sack me’ production to be played out before the full Assembly.

As the man in the middle, the DCM may believe passionately that he has said nothing wrong and this is yet another stitch-up by the media (the same hacks he was trying to ‘warm up’ before explaining a multi-million pound airport project).

He may also, as a naturally pugnacious character, object to what he regards as attempts to hound him out of office on a pretext and want to tough it out. Unfortunately, that rather cuts across his remit as deputy chief minister, working on behalf of the chief minister to ensure the smooth running of the domestic political agenda.

With a range of issues to confront, including controlling public expenditure and funding lifeline capital projects, wrestling with population issues and consequent questions about demographics and funding the States pension scheme, he has neatly made himself the centre of attention and for all the wrong reasons.

This island needs considered debate on a range of matters. Dealing with a vote of confidence in the deputy chief minister – or, perhaps, with his other hat on, the Public Services minister – is not one of them. At a time when deputies need to concentrate their energies on what’s important for the future of the community, the DCM’s challenge to them means, if a vote of confidence motion is tabled, then  the intense lobbying for support that will follow will simply cloud the real issues.

The ‘joke’ was all about a lack of judgement inappropriate for a deputy chief minister. Yesterday’s events – leading to claims of Fallagate Two – will reinforce those concerns.

The Policy Council remains silent on the gaffe, which implies ministers cannot agree on this.

And, more tellingly, the chief minister refuses to come to the aid of his number two.

This isn’t lack of judgment – it’s being blind to the obvious.