Jul 05 - Llamas Resigns From GSD – Will Continue As Independent MP
- Second GSD resignation in just over a year
- Says party “no longer represents values and principles” he identified with when he joined
- Cites “mismanagement and ill-judged delivery of a number of recent initiatives” including recent Budget vote differences
Lawrence Llamas has this evening announced his resignation from the GSD. He now follows Marlene Hassan Nahon who also resigned last year to continue in Parliament as an independent MP.
His full statement citing his reasons for the decision is here:
“Since the November 2015 General Election I have devoted my time and energy to serving this community under the banner of the Gibraltar Social Democrats. During this time, I have striven to make a positive contribution to the party, in particular to work with the parliamentary team, determined to translate my conviction for doing what’s good for the community into support for or constructive criticism of the work we have done to discharge our obligation to the electorate of holding the Government to account.
“In recent months, it has become increasingly clear to me that my views and those of the GSD were set on worryingly and irretrievably divergent paths. Despite my continuing dedication to work in the best interests of this community, it has become apparent to me, and others in the party, that the GSD under Daniel Feetham appears to no longer represent the values and principles I identified with when I joined the ranks.
“The mismanagement and ill-judged delivery of a number of recent initiatives has proved damaging for the party. The political fallout from these various faux pas has placed a strain on the synergy and shared focus of the team, something that has been difficult to contain. Most recently, I was compelled to issue a personal statement last week setting out how the GSD had not consulted me on their voting intention on the Appropriation Bill and my decision to break with the allegedly agreed party line.
“Further to my decision to vote in favour of the Appropriation Bill, it has become clear that my position as a member of the GSD had, for some time, been hard to justify. It is now, in my view untenable under this style of leadership.
“It is, regrettably, another example of the GSD either recklessly or intentionally refusing to accept responsibility for their own actions. To attempt to justify the vote against the Appropriation Bill by describing it as inconsequential is to miss the point entirely. I supported the Bill for two main reasons, firstly, to say “yes” to the spending on our public services, and secondly, for what is in my opinion our duty as parliamentarians to support a budget in a post-Brexit backdrop maintaining the caveat of my concerns on public borrowing.
“In the week since this matter emerged, the differences between the Parliamentary party and I have become so starkly apparent, there has been a complete loss of trust between all involved and I believe that I am left with no choice but to beat a new path as an independent MP and I have therefore, this evening, communicated my resignation with immediate effect to the Executive of the party.
“I now look forward to continuing serving the community from my seat in Parliament, freed from the shackles of membership of a GSD, and I look forward to tackling the issues that I am passionate about, helping the people I am passionate about helping, and doing all this with the overriding objective of doing well by this community and its people first - everything else second.
“I look forward to becoming and remaining, for the remainder of this Parliament, one more independent member of the Chamber. For further information, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.”
{fcomment}
