[WATCH] Adrian Delia defies MPs, will stay on as PN leader

Adrian Delia will stay on as leader of the Nationalist Party despite having lost a confidence vote among his own MPs.

Delia said he respects the confidence vote which was proposed by Chris Said and seconded by Therese Comodini Cachia, but insisted he will also respect party members who elected him leader.

"Tomorrow I will come to work at the party... I will not give up, I will soldier on to defend the common people and their livelihood," Delia said, adding he will fulfill the mandate given to him by party members to lead the party to the next general election.

Delia lost the confidence vote with 19 votes in favour of his removal from Opposition leader and 11 votes against.

The situation now leaves the PN in an anomalous situation of having a party leader and someone else who could occupy the post of Opposition leader.

"I will continue to fight corruption. The party's work will continue," Delia insisted.

Delia said until the MPs who forced the vote took the matter to the President, he remained Opposition leader. "How can we ask people to vote for us and respect us when internally, the few ignore the majority vote of members who elected me leader with a mandate until the next election," Delia said, adding he was taking the matter to the PN executive.

He promised that change within the PN will continue and more new faces will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

It remains unclear so far what the next move of the rebel MPs will be.

Asked whether he denied the existence of the WhatsApp chats with Yorgen Fenech, revealed by The Sunday Times of Malta, that provoked today's confidence vote, Delia reiterated that he has asked the police to investigate the illegality.

Delia insisted that his WhatsApp has no link or communication with Fenech.