Ramsay Jones is working with Chief Minister Ian Gorst one day a week and has billed the States £10,500 since June. Prior to that he had been paid £18,000 for 12 days’ work – the equivalent of £1,500 per day.
His current services include supporting Senator Gorst on matters regarding Brexit and on other international issues and the response to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.
He also attended the Conservative Party Conference at the beginning of October to provide paid advice to Senator Gorst.
While working in Jersey Mr Jones has paid all of his own travel and accommodation expenses.
The news of his continuing contract with the States of Jersey comes after it was announced earlier this month that a team of four top UK consultants are being brought in to carry out a back-to-basics review of the civil service. They will be paid between £1,200 and £1,300 each per day for about six months.
One of those consultants – Stephen Hardwick – has been brought in as director of communications.
Tweeting to his 2,538 followers from the Conservative Party Conference on 3 October, Mr Jones posted a picture of Senator Gorst smiling in front of a Government of Jersey backdrop and said: ‘@Ian_Gorst beating the drum for #Jersey in Manchester’.
He had earlier written ‘Did you know…#Jersey’ above a photo which showed information from the Government of Jersey stand which said that the Island adds £5 billion to the UK Exchequer.
Mr Jones, who now runs public affairs company Gen Comms Ltd, has been engaged by the States since November, first on the 12-day contract and on the one-day-a-week basis since June.
He is a former Scottish Tory spin doctor, special adviser to David Mundell – the Secretary of State for Scotland – and advised then Prime Minister David Cameron on Scotland from January 2012 to the 2015 general election.
Commenting on Mr Jones’s presence at the Conservative Party Conference, a States spokesman said: ‘Ramsay Jones’s contacts and expertise in UK politics can add value to official engagements where the Chief Minister is seeking to promote greater understanding and awareness of the Island. Mr Jones’s consultancy services are sometimes engaged for this purpose, as was the case at the recent Conservative Party Conference.’
After follow-up questions by this newspaper the States then confirmed that the arrangement extended to one day per week.
‘Ramsay Jones has continued to provide advice to the Chief Minister. His services have been retained on the basis of one day per week, at a cost of £875 per day,’ the spokesman said.
‘Mr Jones provided paid advice during the Chief Minister’s attendance at the Conservative Party Conference.
‘In addition to the original £18,000, Mr Jones has billed the States for a further £10,500 since June 2017. This is in payment for supporting the Chief Minister on matters regarding Brexit, as well as on other international matters and the response to the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.’
