Farrugia says forced resignation was ‘backstabbing’ from Muscat

The former Labour deputy leader Anglu Farrugia has denounced his party's intimacy with building developers and other businessmen, marking them out as the people who "wield power in the country".

"Contractors are too close to Labour like some are close to the PN," Farrugia said in a candid interview to The Times. "I know they are close with certain people involved in the Labour Party's finances."

Farrugia describes his forced resignation in December 2012 - ostensibly over remarks he passed on a magistrate during a party speech - had been tantamount to being stabbed in the back. "This is like calling your best friend over and then shooting him in cold blood," Farrugia said.

Farrugia was forced to resign by Joseph Muscat after passing comments on Magistrate Audrey Demicoli during a party speech, in which he questioned her impartiality due to her father's activism for the Nationalist Party.

Although clearly peeved at the decision, it seems Farrugia's declaration that politics is a closed chapter to him marks a fortuitous sign for Muscat, who will not have any bitter rivalry to contend with inside the House - Farrugia said he will not run for his seat and that he was placing partly loyalty above his personal ambitions.

The resignation came days after Farrugia startled the nation with a disastrous performance on a Xarabank debate against counterpart Simon Busuttil, and as it became known he would be the target of a Nationalist campaign that would have exploited his past as a police sergeant under disgraced former police commissioner Lawrence Pullicino in the 1980s.

Farrugia, who has not been in direct contact with Muscat since the 20 December resignation, was even informed back in September he would not be appointed deputy prime minister if Labour were elected to power.

In the interview, Farrugia also claims he was not involved in the preparation of the Labour electoral campaign, and that his 'resignation' had long been planned, with his performance on Xarabank having given Muscat "an excuse" to let the axe fall.

"I think Muscat was uncomfortable with Anglu Farrugia. Unfortunately, Anglu Farrguia was so loyal to Joseph Muscat that he gave him total leeway and did not realise he was being stabbed in the back."