Debono rebuffed by Gonzi – ‘PM told me to keep up the attack on Labour’

Nationalist MP Franco Debono has claimed Lawrence Gonzi told him "to keep up the attack on Labour" in a meeting between the two held last week before the PN issued its condemnation of the MP, as Debono attempted to return to the party fold after prompting the resignation of the home affairs minister by supporting an Opposition motion.

"Those were his words," Debono told MaltaToday. "He told me to attack Labour, every day."

The Prime Minister, who Tuesday morning was at the EC language school in St Julian's for a press event, refused to take questions from MaltaToday. "The Prime Minister is not taking questions on matters unrelated to today's event," an aide told MaltaToday reporter Miriam Dalli.

The prime minister has denied claims by Franco Debono, who has been condemned by the party executive for voting with the Opposition, that he was "not against" Debono's candidature for re-election.

It's his strongest declaration yet that Debono's actions have not been pardoned by the party.

Debono, who once declared he had withdrawn his support for government and even submitted his resignation from the PN, told MaltaToday that in his meeting with Gonzi the matter of his candidature cropped up. "I didn't ask to be on the ticket, but the Prime Minister told me that my candidature would be subject to the approval of the PN executive, and that I should continue with home visits."

But Gonzi has denied wanting Debono as a PN candidate for the next election, contradicting his claims that he was not against his candidature.

Asked for his reactions to the PM's strong declaration, Debono replied with a question: "From whom is he taking his advice - Austin Gatt?"

In comments to The Times, a spokesperson for Gonzi said the prime minister denied making that statement. "On the contrary, the Prime Minister makes reference to the PN executive decision, which was clear and unanimous: those who were responsible for Monday's vote and the resignation of Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici must shoulder their responsibility," the spokesman said.

The party's executive issued a condemnation of Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando Jesmond Mugliett, who respectively voted in favour and abstained on the Richard Cachia Caruana resignation motion tabled by the Opposition, for not toeing the party line. Debono was condemned for voting in favour of the Carm Mifsud Bonnici resignation motion, which he now wants to contest with the party executive.

Debono told MaltaToday Tuesday morning that following his meeting with Gonzi last week, he expressed himself that he had not agreed with the way Labour had gone about the Richard Cachia Caruana motion.

Debono, whose vocal criticism of Cachia Caruana in parliament did not translate in a vote supporting his resignation, signed an affidavit to deny claims by Pullicino Orlando in parliament that he was one of 10 MPs who "expressed a desire to vote for the [resignation] motion."

Debono told MaltaToday he had told Gonzi that there were no pending grievances. "All the issues were solved, I had no contentions... that's what was said at our last meeting," the MP said, who is presently pushing his bill for justice reforms in parliament and has also authored a party financing law.