Former Nationalist Party secretary general Louis Galea denied allegations that he had advised current leader Bernard Grech to reject the nomination of Anglu Farrugia as Speaker and to leave out from the shadow Cabinet MPs who formed part of the Gonzi government.

In a post on Facebook, Galea, also a former Minister and Speaker, replied to allegations made by blogger Simon Mercieca.

He said he does not normally reply to comments in his regard, but he felt compelled to answer the allegations made.

Galea denied that he had a say in the decision taken by Grech and the parliamentary group to reject the nomination of Farrugia. “I was never approached, and neither did I advise, Bernard Grech or the Group on what position to take on the Speaker’s nomination”.

It is an invention, Galea said, that he had advised Grech to leave out GOnzi Cabinet members from the shadow Cabinet appointed last month. Chris Said, Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici and Mario de Marco were all left out of the shadow Cabinet appointed by Grech.

Galea also denied that part of the PN parliamentary group could be described as the “Louis Galea group”.

Whoever is feeding Simon Mercieca this information is deceiving him and using him for ulterior motives, Galea said.