Labour MPs have asked for an investigation by the Speaker into leaks from the Standards in Public Life Parliamentary Committee. 

In a statement on Thursday, Labour MPs Edward Zammit Lewis and Glen Bedingfield lamented that a report issued by Standards Commissioner George Hyzler had been leaked. 

Reports are supposed to remain secret until they are discussed by the committee when the Commissioner, it was argued.

The statement was referring to a Newsbook article published on Thursday morning, which stated that a report by the Standards Commissioner found minister Carmelo Abela in breach of ethical standards by using public funds to pay for newspaper adverts promoting himself. 

The Labour MPs noted that journalists have every right to seek information, and it is those who leaked the report who are in the wrong. 

They said that, in view of this development, their attendance during Friday's meeting had become "superfluous."

Reacting, civil society group Repubblika, which had filed the complaint, called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to take action.

“You are responsible for their actions and when you fail to take action, you become responsible for their shortcomings,” it said.

The group expressed its disgust at Zammit Lewis and Bedingfield’s decision not to attend Friday’s meeting. “These are puerile games and an insult to the people they represent,” it continued.

It said Friday’s meeting was supposed to take place three weeks ago, but the two government MPs had walked out. “In the meantime, you have a report that could indicate that Minister Abela breached ethics.”

Repubblika said it also expects that, as the complainant, it would be informed of the outcome of the report.

It said these that, through such maneuvres, Parliament was being turned from a place where MPs are supposed to work for the people into one where they act to cover for each other. It reminded these MPs that they will be held accountable becaue they are elected and paid for  by the people.