Independent MP Clayton Bartolo told activists that he will be contesting the next general election but stopped short of saying it will be under the Labour Party banner.

Bartolo resigned as Tourism Minister last year and was later kicked out of the Labour parliamentary group. He has since served as an independent MP, but his campaigning on the social media and with the organisation of political activities has not stopped.

Bartolo resigned and was removed from the PL's parliamentary group after Prime Minister Robert Abela became aware of a second scandal involving Bartolo and his wife.

He had earlier faced criticism for a consultancy that was given to his then girlfriend Amanda Muscat without her having the necessary qualifications. Bartolo and Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri had been found to have abused power by the Standards Commissioner.

These new circumstances that led to Bartolo's resignation and dismissal from PL's parliamentary group relate to an FIAU investigation into around €50,000 that Muscat allegedly received in 2023 from a company connected to a contractor working with the Malta Tourism Authority.

In a post on Facebook today, Bartolo is seen addressing a political activity during which he told his supporters that if they are asked if he was going to contest the election, the answer should be yes.

If, then, they are asked whether he will be contesting with the Labour Party, Bartolo said that the answer is that he "was a Labourite, is still a Labourite, and will continue to be a Labourite".