Efforts to reconcile the pro and anti-Delia factions within the PN parliamentary group have failed because both sides are being “hard-headed”, this newsroom has been told.

17 MPs who voted against Delia in a confidence vote last Tuesday have gone to the President and triggered a Constitutional process to oust him as Opposition Leader. They have nominated Therese Comodini Cachia to serve as Opposition Leader in the interim.

But the embattled Delia has refused to back down and has warned that action will be taken against dissenting MPs.

A source from within the parliamentary group said efforts to bring both sides together have failed.

This newsroom is also informed that Delia has been in contact with a number of MPs who traditionally supported him but who voted against him on Tuesday.

MPs Kristy Debono, Hermann Schiavone and Stephen Spiteri had always stood with Delia but voted against him in the confidence vote proposed by Chris Said and seconded by Comodini Cachia.

The Malta Independent has also been told that some of the ten MPs who backed Delia still feel that the only way forward is for him to step down.

President George Vella, meanwhile, is continuing to meet MPs this morning. He met a number of MPs on Thursday and even summoned Delia, who told him that he could not go against the wishes of the PN’s tesserati.

Delia insisted yesterday that the party’s paid-up members had elected him party leader until the end of the legislature and he would not “betray” them.

He said he was “hurt” and “angered” by recent developments “brought about by our own people” and warned that action would be taken within the party’s structures.

A number of MPs who voted against him, however, have questioned why Delia has not sought another vote of confidence among the tesserati.