Speaker rules against breach of privilege complaint raised by David Thake

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia says Chris Fearne’s claim that Opposition MPs asked to jump the COVID vaccine queue is not a breach of privilege since no individuals were identified.

Farrugia was delivering a ruling on a breach of privilege complaint raised yesterday by Nationalist MP David Thake over the claim made by Fearne last week.

It was the Speaker’s third ruling in two days after refuting a similar complaint made by Opposition leader Bernard Grech and the Opposition Whip.

Fearne had claimed in parliament that he was asked by Opposition MPs to jump the COVID-19 vaccine queue, however, the Health Minister never mentioned any names despite being challenged to do so.

Thake yesterday said that he had not been present in the House when Fearne made his claims and so raised an individual breach of privilege complaint in a bid to have the minister substantiate his claims.

However, the Speaker has now ruled that since no names were mentioned, the matter did not breach parliamentary privilege.