Government Whip Godfrey Farrugia told government MPs that it was shameful and intolerable that only nine of them were present in Parliament on 19 May, when the government had to ask for a ruling by Speaker Anglu Farrugia.

The email titled ‘Name and Shame’ formed part of a thread of emails between Labour MPs which was inadvertently sent to PN Whip David Agius by Foreign Affairs Minister George Vella. (See separate story).

Dr Farrugia wrote: “Dear Collegues, I would like to thank K.Mizzi, Aguis Decelis, E.Mallia, O.Busuttil (Bonnici), S.Bountempo, E.Zammit Lewis, Deborah Schembri for being at Parliament when the opportune time arose. We were only 9, including me. 

Circumstances arose such that Government asked for a Speaker's ruling. The Opposition counted 13 members. The time was 20.20. This indicates that the opposition was prepared for this maneuver that took place in a Permanent Committee and spilled over to the Chamber.

Shame to all those who were supposed to be there and failed to do so. This is intolerable. (written in red in the email)

The quorum list for the 19 th reads as follows: Aguis Decelis, Michael Farrugia, Stefan Bountempo, Owen Bonnici, Joseph Sammut, Joseph Farrugia, Deborah Schembri, Godfrey Farrugia, Franco Mercieca, Michael Falzon, Silvio Parnis, Konrad Mizzi, Edward Zammit Lewis, Emmanuel Mallia.

I thank D. Debattista for sitting in for M. Falzon as the latter had a TV Appearance at a late hour.

It is indeed unfortunate that I had to resort to this email,” the Government Whip concluded.