The Chief Minister of Gibraltar, the Hon Fabian Picardo QC MP, has reacted to the statements by Ms Hassan Nahon yesterday on GBC’s Newswatch. Mr Picardo said:

"I have noted Ms Hassan Nahon's words to GBC on the back of her opinion in the Gibraltar Chronicle.

“I have reflected carefully, as I always do on my political opponents' contributions, on her article. Our fellow citizens will have noted that I have not yet replied to it.

"I am the first to acknowledge that the cut and thrust of political discourse can be rough. I was at the sharp end of the worst attacks in Opposition and today I remain the butt of the worst attacks at the hands of many - not just politicians - who think even my private life and family are fair game, making up stories about us constantly.

“In fact, in politics I realised even before I was a Parliamentarian that one has to live by the mantra that ‘stick and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me’.

“That said I have taken the opportunity to write to Ms Hassan Nahon directly making clear that our political exchanges are not personal and that no member of the House, as indeed no member of our community, should ever be the subject of psychological or any other abuse and that this is an issue we must take very seriously.

“From the outset I have led a government which has put huge emphasis on unburdening the most vulnerable, building inclusivity and dispelling cruel and unnecessary marginalisation of people who are or feel vulnerable. I therefore also invite Ms Hassan Nahon to reflect seriously on her comments. I am happy for her to make my letter public should she wish to do so.

“For those in political life, in an adversarial system like the one we have, developing a crocodile skin is essential.

“Political opponents and members of the public regularly launch virulent attacks on my integrity and commitment - despite the hard work I put in and the pressure my family endures.

“That, unfortunately, is politics these days and social media and ‘keyboard warriors’ (many of them, clearly, Ms Hassan Nahon's supporters) have only made it worse.

"I do not think Ms Hassan Nahon could persuade anyone that a harsh reply in Parliament on a traditionally fractious debate is in the bracket of the abuse of those who commit the crime of psychological abuse.

"Using that language has been an unnecessary and unfortunate excess too far by Ms Hassan Nahon and it really takes away from the suffering of those who are really subjected to psychological abuse.

“However, it is clear that Ms Hassan Nahon feels aggrieved. Given she has previously described me in glowing terms and as a mentor, and she has now described me in damning terms, when things have cooled a little, I will be happy to discuss with her those aspects of my reply she may not have liked, as I have discussed much with her in the past.

“My door has always been open to her and all my other political opponents. I have helped and will help each of them whenever they need my help as I try to help every Gibraltarian. We can then take it from there.

“I would, however, say that Ms Hassan Nahon should note that I will not ever fail to reply harshly and robustly to untrue and unfair criticism of public servants, my Government, my party or myself.

“That is why I replied harshly and robustly to her accusations that we had somehow failed to do our best, to save the lives of Gibraltarians lost to COVID, by following the medical advice we had. Ms Hassan Nahon told us we should have followed her non-medical advice, based on her reading of the situation, in preference to the medical advice we had and that would have saved more lives. I found that allegation from her quite unforgiveable given the real suffering that those who have lost relatives to COVID have gone through and the work done by those who have tried to save them.

“That is also why I replied harshly and robustly to her accusations – in which she echoed our worst detractors - that Gibraltar's finance centre has ‘short comings’ when it comes to countering money laundering and terrorist financing, despite the excellent work done in respect of our MoneyVal assessment. This particular accusation, on the lips of a Gibraltarian Member of Parliament, is reckless and a gross dereliction of Ms Hassan Nahon’s duty to Gibraltar and plays directly into the hands of our most unfair international political opponents.

“It is also important that I should point out that it is completely false and untrue that Ms Hassan Nahon was in my office, before she delivered her speech, to discuss a £100m investment in Gibraltar. The people we saw, who were already in contact with other individuals in Gibraltar also to see me, have a £100m fund for start-ups generally, NOT for Gibraltar. They are talking to the Government about how best to ensure Gibraltar start-ups have access to that potential source of seed investment from them. That is entirely different to a £100m investment in start-ups for Gibraltar. Again, the fact that Ms Hassan Nahon is either misrepresenting that or is unable to draw the necessary distinctions is hugely important, as her lack of either candour or understanding is equally relevant when making a judgment about her ability to lead this community.

“These are the constant failures and inconsistencies in Ms Hassan Nahon's politics and policies that I have highlighted and I make no apology for that.

“It is for these reasons of inadequate ability to understand concepts and constant contradiction that I believe it is a reality - not a helpful mantra - that Ms Hassan Nahon knows herself that she is not up to the job of Chief Minister that she is auditioning for. I also genuinely believe that her party and the public also know that she is not up to the job. In her opinion piece she clearly, readily accepts this.

“A budget reply by the Leader of the House consists of replying to the contributions of the members of the opposition during the Budget ‘State of the Nation’ debate which is precisely what I have done, just like all the other Chief Ministers before me.

“I was as harsh with her as I have been with all other members of the opposition. It had absolutely nothing to do with her gender and she does herself no favours by continuing to victimise herself constantly every time she is told something she does not want to hear.

“Ms Hassan Nahon has even gone as far as saying that I addressed her by her first name and that I did that because she is a woman. For the record, I have called all members of the opposition by their first name at some point or other.  Doing so is not psychological abuse.

“I have praised Ms Hassan Nahon many, many times in my parliamentary contributions. I have recognised when she has done well and have lent her a helping hand when she has needed it. The problem clearly arises when she is contradicted and when she is treated the same as other members of the opposition.

“If I am as harsh with her - and this is sometimes necessary - as I am with other members she says it’s psychological abuse.

“If I am not harsh with her, I am ‘mansplaining’ things and don’t let her join the ‘big boys’ club’. “Which is it to be then for Ms Hassan Nahon?

“I have been incredibly let down by Ms Hassan Nahon and the language she has chosen to use against me.

“As a person who takes psychological abuse very seriously and as a husband and father to a daughter, I find this frankly appalling and a step too far – even for her.

“My job is to point that out but, in the end, however, who will lead this nation in the future will be decided by the electorate at the next General Election, which is not due yet for more than two years.

“I genuinely do not believe there is any point in inflaming these matters further by the use of the terminology Ms Hassan Nahon has resorted to.

“I am using the summer to continue preparation for the negotiation of the UK/EU Treaty we hope we will be able to commence in the early autumn and the planning for the flu season alongside the ongoing COVID pandemic.

“Those are the things I will continue to concentrate on. I believe they are the issues that the public wants us to concentrate on. Not a sterile spat with Ms Hassan Nahon."

ENDS