Labour deputy leader for party affairs Michael Falzon denied yesterday that he had asked the editor of maltatoday to reveal the source of a story he had carried. What he had said, and would repeat, said Dr Falzon, was that it was not right for anyone to pass judgement while a police investigation was under way.

This point, Dr Falzon added, had escaped the Journalists’ Committee, which happened to have one of maltatoday’s staff members among those who managed it (the committee condemned Dr Falzon for calling for the police commissioner to intervene).

Dr Falzon argued that once the editor of maltatoday had written that it was not difficult to conclude who had sent an anonymous letter to the Labour Party’s general secretary, he should cooperate with the police to help stop these “illegal actions”. This is what every honest citizen should do, he said.

He had never interfered with any police investigation, nor would he, Dr Falzon added.

As for making fun of the picture of Our Lady he had always carried for over 30 years (maltatoday referred to this yesterday), that was the writer’s business, Dr Falzon said, adding that he was not ashamed to carry a picture of Our Lady.

With regard to a comment in the same paper that in politics, people are expendable, Dr Falzon said that this is the opinion of the writer. In the Labour Party, he said, the policy is that nobody is expendable.

He said that the number of libel suits instituted against maltatoday spoke for itself.

He also swore his allegiance to the Labour Party, which he would always continue to help, he said. He added that nobody will stop him from working towards achieving a Labour Party victory in the next election.

Dr Falzon also reserved the right to take legal action where necessary.