The GSD has said that Sir Peter Openshaw’s Report in the McGrail Inquiry is a “damning verdict on Mr Picardo’s behaviour.”

A statement continued: “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 the electorate of what they now each represent.

“In a Ministerial Broadcast this afternoon Mr Picardo in his customary spin stunningly claims to be “vindicated” in the Openshaw Report. This is so far from the truth as to be a total repackaging of a Report that can be read by people themselves now. It is frankly shocking that Mr Picardo should double-down on what is a scathing Report on his conduct with a presentation full of half-truths, twists and spin. It is a travesty of the truth for the Chief Minister to have undertaken his broadcast on that basis and it speaks volumes about his contempt for the truth and desire to erect an immediate false narrative as a smokescreen. It also is massively disrespectful of people and shows that his contrite image today was nothing more than a mirage.”

Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi said: “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. 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 (an investigation that involved a friend of Mr Picardo) Sir Peter Openshaw, an experienced High Court Criminal Judge with decades of experience has found that in a meeting 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 on conflicts of interest 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 for or against, or indeed that he had not so advised.” He 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.” All in all Mr Picardo was clearly breaking so many rules and effectively seeking to interfere with a criminal investigation that his position is now untenable. If this Report emerged in the United Kingdom a UK Minister would be compelled to resign.

“The criticisms of his behaviour come just after the shocking behaviour of the GSLP Government towards the Principal Auditor. Once again it shows a Chief Minister and a GSLP out of control and having no regard for constitutional or democratic governance boundaries.

“It is now evident what was behind the attempt to provide minimal time for the Opposition to read this Report while giving himself a full 46 days to prepare the inevitable damage limitation exercise in overdrive they have already embarked on. This has been compounded by the restriction that was placed on the Leader of the Opposition that he could not share the contents of the Report with GSD MPs till publication.

“We will have more to say when we are able to more comprehensively set out our views on this important Inquiry and its recommendations. But already it is obvious that we are facing an unprecedented situation of a Chief Minister seriously criticized by the Inquiry he himself convened. The Recommendations themselves vindicate the long-standing criticisms levied against Mr Picardo and his Government the calls for massive reform of governance and conflicts of interest controls.”

Tomorrow Christmas Eve at 830pm the Leader of the Opposition will exercise his right of reply to the Chief Minister on GBC TV.