Here’s the text of the Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi's right of reply Broadcast delivered on 24th December:

When I heard Mr Picardo address you yesterday I thought that he must have read a different Report  to the one handed to me by his lawyers. 

Because the Openshaw Report in the McGrail Inquiry is truly shocking. And yet the Chief Minister  would have us believe he has been “vindicated.” 

Sir Peter Openshaw’s Report is a damning verdict on Mr Picardo’s behaviour. It reveals a naked  abuse of power. The Chief Minister’s position is now untenable. He should resign and an election  should be called.  

Each Minister now needs to consider whether he or she should, in good conscience, continue to  support Mr Picardo. If they do, then that, in itself, will be a stark message to you. That – even now – they are prepared to put up with the conduct; the half-truths and the downright lies. That even now  they prefer power over public interest. They each face that crossroads NOW. They either back him  or sack him. And if they don’t sack him they have backed him in this grossly improper action. 

For months before the last general election Mr Picardo repeatedly said he would be exonerated by  the Inquiry and that (in his own words) it would get to “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but  the truth.” Far from exoneration he has been deeply criticised for his conduct. The TRUTH that the  

Inquiry has found is that he attempted to interfere in an ongoing criminal investigation. There is now  no hiding place and this fresh misconduct is layered over previous excesses. 

Describing the operation to execute a search warrant in Operation Delhi Sir Peter Openshaw, an  experienced High Court Criminal Judge with decades of experience has found that Mr Picardo made  a “grossly improper attempt to interfere in a legitimate police investigation and operation.” He goes  on to say: “That Mr Picardo still seeks to defend his actions, that he thinks he was within his rights is  not mitigation. Indeed, it makes it much worse.” 

There are some very grave findings in the Openshaw Report. That Mr Picardo has acted with “gross impropriety” or has improperly disclosed confidential information or “deliberately and  cynically…misled” the Police Authority. The Inquiry Chairman has found he compromised the  independence of the Police Authority and that he was “sinister” in using processes to bring about  the dismissal of the former Commissioner of Police “for reasons of his own.” The Inquiry Chairman  makes clear he considers Mr Picardo “crossed the line” on a number of occasions. 

Additionally, he is severely criticised for not respecting proper boundaries of behaviour and for  involving himself in discussions with lawyers of a suspect and seeking to assist that person of  interest. This conduct was clearly “objectionable” and an inappropriate handling of obvious conflicts  of interests with his “friends and business partners.”  

The Chairman notes that it was “plainly not appropriate for Mr Picardo to tell the suspect, or his  lawyer, what he believed the DPP had advised ...” and also notes how the “Chief Minister of  Gibraltar is suggesting to the lawyer of a man who was then suspected of serious crime…how he  might retrieve his client’s mobile from the police to prevent them from interrogating it…” noting this  was an example of “gross impropriety” by Mr Picardo. That “…the lawyer and indeed the suspect,  were Mr Picardo’s great friends and business partners merely makes the position worse.” These are  ALL direct quotes from the Report.

All in all Mr Picardo was clearly breaking so many rules that his position is now untenable. Those are  rules that would apply to you. Is he above those rules?  

The finding of an attempt to interfere with a criminal investigation is particularly grave. In effect it is  tantamount to conduct seeking to pervert the course of justice and to assist persons under  investigation and their legal team. That is profound in its implications. It is so wrong as to affect any  continuance in office. If a Report like this emerged in the United Kingdom any UK Minister would be  compelled to resign. 

If GSLP Ministers now tolerate this – if they keep him in office they are becoming his accomplices; his  cheerleaders. So, in speaking directly to every Minister; to every leadership contender; I say think  carefully or be forever associated with all this by the people on whose behalf you serve. 

When Mr Picardo then claimed to be “exonerated” in the Openshaw Report this was so fake and  obviously unsustainable as to be an insult to each and every one of you. It is frankly shocking that Mr  Picardo should double-down on what is a scathing Report with a presentation of half-truths, twists  and spin. It speaks volumes about his contempt for the truth and shows that his fleeting apology was  nothing more than a mirage. 

Even more seriously it is an approach to politics that shows he has learned nothing. And what  example is this for future generations? It erodes trust when our Government simply cannot be  believed because of the way it conducts politics. 

There are many reasons why this GSLP Government should now be replaced. And one of the biggest  reasons is their now systematic and ruthless manipulation of the truth and their sheer recklessness  in the face of democratic protections. When they don’t care who or what gets in their way; when  they will stop at nothing to remain in power; to cling on to their vestiges of patronage – those are all  signs of a dying administration.  

When they put their interests; their survival and the benefit of their friends above the public interest  then they should be shown the door. This is now in the political DNA of the GSLP led by Mr Picardo.  But this is not just about him. And getting rid of him does not rid Gibraltar of that now polluted and  corroded political dynasty. 

Mr Picardo said yesterday he would stay because he would not fail you. But he has already failed  you. By abusing his power he has failed you. By his incessant fake narratives he has failed you. By  eroding democratic protections he has failed you. By not respecting constitutional boundaries he has  failed you. If each Minister condones this they will have failed you. 

We totally respect the Recommendations made by the Chairman and in Government we would  implement them. These endorse the long-standing criticisms levied against the GSLP and the calls for  major governance and conflicts of interest reforms.  

I apologise for intruding on a day when many of you would ordinarily be enjoying a family Christmas  dinner but this has been made inevitable by the Government’s decision to publish this Report now  when they have had it for 7 weeks. Today, my message is that we must all act collectively to ensure  that change is delivered as soon as democratically possible because Gibraltar simply cannot continue  being governed like this. 

On behalf of myself and my colleagues may I wish you all the peace and good tidings of the season  as you reflect and enjoy your time with your families.