The Chief Minister has spoken out on the sacking of Chris Thomas from a role within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The Douglas Central MHK has been fired as political member for the DHSC.

His dismissal, confirmed this afternoon, comes less than three weeks after he was appointed to the role and just over a week since he called on Alfred Cannan to resign as Chief Minister.

Mr Cannan recently took on the additional role of interim DHSC Minister following Lawrie Hooper’s dramatic resignation from the post.

In a statement, Mr Cannan said Mr Thomas should have stepped down from the role after he supported a vote of no confidence in the Chief Minister.

He said: ‘It is regrettable that Mr Thomas’s recent actions have required the Council of Ministers to take this step.

‘The Government Code clearly sets out the importance of a positive and productive relationship between a Minister and Members of a Government Department.

‘Given my role as acting Minister for Health and Social Care, Mr Thomas has directly undermined that relationship and ethically Mr Thomas should have resigned from his role in the Department of Health and Social Care when he undertook these actions.

‘I am sure Mr Thomas understands this position and I hope he can continue to find a way to support the work of the Government going forward.’

Conversely, Mr Thomas claimed his sacking was not the work of Mr Cannan - rather that the Council of Ministers who had overturned his decision to bring him into the DHSC.

Mr Thomas, who had put his name forward for the role of chief minister ahead of last week’s no confidence vote, told Isle of Man Today: ‘I have a positive and productive relationship with the Chief Minister.

‘I joined the department at his invitation to help contribute to the necessary and important turn-around of healthcare.

‘But CoMin appoints department members and CoMin has overridden his intentions in the light of my vote in the vote of no confidence and in the light of my candidacy.

‘It’s not totally unexpected but still surprising.’

Mr Thomas said he was disappointed to be fired and had tried to keep his job.

And he suggested there are now Ministers in CoMin that are not fully behind the Island Plan.

‘I feel sorry for the Chief Minister, they’ve over-ruled him,’ he said. ‘There are no sour grapes from me.’

He pointed out that other MHKs who voted in favour of the no confidence vote had not lost their jobs.

‘Claire Christian is DEFA member and I’m pretty sure she hasn’t been fired and Tim Glover is OFT chairman, I’m pretty sure he hasn’t been fired either,’ he said.