Defiant Delia takes to party airwaves

Two days ahead of an expected showdown with his MPs, Adrian Delia has taken to participating in a radio call-in show for party faithful.

Delia was on a NET FM show on Tuesday evening, with listeners calling in, many with messages of support, others to drive a point or ask the beleaguered PN leader questions.

Some of the callers encouraged him to keep persevering and to not give in to the “vile” behaviour of rebel MPs.

“You are the sacrificial lamb, and Robert Arrigo is too. I can’t take [the attacks] on you anymore. Don’t give in to them - they are villains... the way they acted in your regard,” a caller said.

Another insisted Delia was “morally strong”, saying they were sure he would lead the party into the next general election. “I’m not angry, but I’m worried about the MPs. They were there when we lost by 36,000 votes… that’s why we need you. We are behind you.”

One caller was more skeptical of the Nationalist leader, saying that, while they had accepted him despite not voting for him, they didn’t feel that some of the discourse used by Delia was encourging unity. “When you use words like ‘plots’, do you think they bring unity? Do you believe that, when two majorities make a decision, they are wrong and the minority is right?” the caller asked.

“Regarding words like ‘plots’, what matters is not the words used, but if plotting [against me] is actually taking place,” Delia said. “And, yes, we must respect majorities… But you have majorities in terms of MPs, majorities in the executive, and then you have the majority in the general council responsible for declaring their trust in the leader, and the card-holding members who decide who leads.”

Delia’s participation in the show comes ahead of a PN executive committee meeting - which he requested - scheduled for Thursday evening.

At the last meeting of the executive, which took place last week, Delia lost a vote of confidence, days after he had lost another vote in the PN parliamentary group.