Chief Minister Lyndon Trott was one of the six Policy Council members who changed their minds aftr the secret vote at a council meeting to the public vote in the States chamber.

MINISTERS yesterday defended making a U-turn in the States on backing a freedom of information regime – and insisted they were always supportive.

During Wednesday’s debate it was revealed that the Policy Council had unanimously voted in private to reject an amendment by Deputy Rhoderick Matthews for a report on open government by December 2011.

But when the vote was taken in the Assembly, six out of 11 of them had changed their minds and supported it.

While no record is kept of which way members vote at council meetings – just the decision is recorded – Deputy Chief Minister Bernard Flouquet and others confirmed yesterday that it had been unanimous.

The six who ended up voting for a report on improving open government and having a corporate policy were Deputies Charles Parkinson, Mike O’Hara, Carol Steere, Dave Jones, Geoff Mahy and Chief Minister Lyndon Trott.

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