PN executive member calls for disciplinary action against MPs who disavowed Delia

Updated at 7:14pm with Edwin Vassallo comment

Nationalist Party executive member Andre Grech has called for action to be taken against MPs who backed a new Opposition leader in breach of the party statute.

Grech has written to PN secretary general Francis Zammit Dimech and the heads of the party administrative council and executive, asking them to initiate the disciplinary process.

In a Facebook post, Grech, who supports Adrian Delia, accused the 17 MPs of breaching the party statute, which states that the party leader will be Opposition leader when the party is in Opposition.

When contacted by MaltaToday, Grech said: “The 17 MPs breached the party statute that was unanimously approved recently, the moment they went to the President to propose a new Opposition leader.”

He would not say what action should be taken, insisting the decision would have to be taken by the party organs.

The 17 MPs, along with the party’s two MEPs, supported a vote of no confidence in Delia as Opposition leader.

Earlier this afternoon, Chris Said, who put forward the no confidence motion, went to President George Vella, proposing Therese Comodini Cachia as the new Opposition leader.

The PN statute does speak of situations when a person’s membership can be revoked by the executive.

In the most relevant part of the statute, a person will lose his membership “if he acts in such a way that prejudges the party’s best interest as determined by the executive committee”.

It remains unclear what course of action the party will take.

Delia has insisted he will remain party leader to fulfil the mandate given to him by members to lead the party until the next general election.

READ ALSO: MPs do not dictate who the PN leader is, defiant Adrian Delia insists

Edwin Vassallo: 'disloyal' MPs must leave

But pressure is mounting on the party to take action against the MPs who disavowed Delia. In comments to Times of Malta, Mosta MP Edwin Vassallo said he expected the "disloyal" MPs to leave the party because "they do not belong".

Vassallo recalled that in 2017 when he had broken party ranks and voted against the Marriage Equality Act in parliament on a point of conscience, he was threatened with disciplinary action. He said the 17 MPs now have to face the consequences for their actions,