By now, we all know that Joe Debono Grech, honourable member of the party leading the most feminist government in history, verbally and crassly attacked Marlene Farrugia in Parliament last week.

But there are some details from that incident and its aftermath that have slipped from many people's notice. To appreciate Tagħna Lkoll, you have to be there.

First, after Debono Grech's hysteria climaxed into very aggressive verbal abuse, including the infamous phrase "nifqgħek" (I will turn you into pulp), he was physically held back by members of his party and was taken out of the main chamber.

While all this happened I sat in my chair grey-faced and appalled at what was going on. As a child I had watched the same man pass vulgar remarks in parliament while his bench mates cheered him on. Could those horrible days be coming back?

That question returned as I studied the body language of two young Labour ministers in the chamber during Wednesday's debate.

The debate was about the Speaker's ruling on Debono Grech's threat. The ruling made no clear distinction between perpetrator and victim. So, Simon Busuttil proposed a motion to amend the Speaker's ruling.

While Marlene Farrugia made her points in the debate, Ian Borg, parliamentary secretary for Europe, and Owen Bonnici, the justice minister, sat looking at her in a very provocative way. They had a snigger on their faces.

Just before the debate started, the Speaker read out a letter of apology signed by Joe Debono Grech, although I seriously doubt if he drafted it. He actually sat outside the main chamber. Was this Muscat's damage control - fearing the volatile Debono Grech would react again and make matters worse?

The Prime Minister gave a short speech saying that the written apology was enough for him. Lo and behold, he never actually condemned Debono Grech. However, Labour MPs did shift their usual places so that the Prime Minister had his three remaining women MPs sitting right behind him. They're still the most feminist government in history.

Not that you could guess it from the Labour women's speeches. It is more than ironic that the debate on this motion came on the International Day to End Violence Against Women.

A few hours before the debate, the equality minister Helena Dalli gave her speech to commemorate the day. Although I was not present in the main chamber, I was following her speech. Frankly, I found her speech even more insulting than Joe Debono Grech's attitude and behaviour.

Here we have the minister who is supposed to be defending women, to be implementing policies that raise awareness of violence against women, effectively saying that women who answer back should not call themselves victims. In other words, if you provoke a man, you deserve what is coming at you, especially within particular contexts.

The Minister denied having said this even though it was reported in the online papers. Looks like we all misunderstood the Minister. But she did not issue a press release to correct the numerous media reports (at least up till the time of writing, and if she has since then, she's certainly taken her time about it).

Marlene Farrugia, who must also have misunderstood despite following Dalli's speech very closely, has meanwhile called for Dalli's resignation.

Things got even worse during the debate itself. Labour's equality champions were out in force.

Justyne Caruana tried to justify Debono Grech because of incidents, she claimed, that made her a victim under a PN government.

Deborah Schembri agreed with the ruling because (wait for it) Joe Debono Grech is an elderly gentleman. Was she saying he is a vulnerable victim and that the elderly, the poor dears, cannot be taken too seriously?

Helena Dalli, having already dug herself into a hole in a speech that had gone viral on the social media, decided to dig deeper.

Of course Labour won the vote, thanks to its majority and hypocrisy on violence against women. When Debono Grech briefly entered the chamber during the debate about his behaviour, Labour members applauded him.

What adds further insult to injury is that Joe Debono Grech should not be in Parliament anyway. The Constitutional Court has already decided that I had more votes than Edward Scicluna and Debono Grech on the 8th district in the last election.

So, the guy who should not be there anyway is getting away with unacceptable conduct simply because he is in a political party which lacks the decency to do what is morally right. Tagħna Lkoll.