WATCH | Glenn Bedingfield admits he was 'too rough' in Daphne blog posts

Home Affairs Minister Glenn Bedingfield has admitted he was too harsh when writing critically about Daphne Caruana Galizia on his blog whilst working at the Office of the Prime Minister.

"There were occasions when I was harsh, and I could have been less harsh," Bedingfield said. "I also apologised to those whom I might have been harsh with."

Bedingfield also said his comments needed to be understood in their original context.

During an urgent parliamentary debate following Yorgen Fenech's acquittal, Opposition leader Alex Borg raised the issue, questioning whether Bedingfield could oversee the police impartially as home affairs minister.

Prime Minister Robert Abela responded to Borg's parliamentary criticism, dismissing those concerns and arguing that police investigations were entirely independent and that Bedingfield had no role in directing them. "The statements made by the opposition leader do not make sense and show he does not understand how our institutions work," Abela said.

"He said that the police investigation cannot be independent as if it is the minister who runs the investigation. The police have full autonomy and independence when investigating," the prime minister added. Abela said he saw no issue with Bedingfield remaining in the home affairs portfolio.

The debate followed a judge's order that evidence given during the two-month Fenech trial be sent to the Police Commissioner to determine whether other parties should face criminal proceedings. Caruana Galizia was killed in a car bomb in October 2017