Let the embarrassment begin

I have this nagging feeling that the Nationalist Party are going to regret their decision to accept Vince Farrugia’s candidature, if he is elected and they have to contend with his embarrassing behaviour as an MEP. Accepting him and hoping he’s not elected is the way to go: they don’t have to put up with his MEP shenanigans, and at the same time, he’s branded with the PN iron. He’s already begun making messes.

The Sunday Times, 8th March 2009
PL denies offer to Vince Farrugia

Nationalist MEP hopeful Vince Farrugia has gone to some length to prove that his baggage is useful in the European Parliament irrespective of the political party he has chosen to represent. But his enthusiasm may have gone a bit too far when he declared that Labour leader Joseph Muscat asked him to stand down from the PN ticket and join the Labour team instead.

A spokesman for Dr Muscat denied that Mr Farrugia was ever formally approached to contest with the Labour Party. “All those who were approached by (Dr) Muscat (agreed) to contest on behalf of the Labour Party,” the spokesman said. Last Thursday, in The Times Business, Mr Farrugia said he had a “nice discussion” with the Labour leader and claimed Dr Muscat told him that if he decided not to stand on the PN ticket he would be “happy” to have him contest with the PL. “This is the excellent relationship I have with Joseph Muscat,” Mr Farrugia said, insisting that he had considered the option of contesting as an independent candidate.

The “nice discussion” Mr Farrugia referred to was probably an informal five-minute chat between him and Dr Muscat during a social event that took place in December, according to Labour sources. Sources said: “Dr Muscat and Mr Farrugia met during a meal organised by the Republic Street Retailers Association. The chance meeting was informal and only lasted five minutes, contrary to the impression Mr Farrugia tried to give.” During that brief meeting Dr Muscat taunted Mr Farrugia about the persistent rumours at the time that he was interested in contesting the June election with the PN. “In passing, Dr Muscat asked him how come he was not interested in contesting with the PL, to which Mr Farrugia replied that he had not yet taken a decision. Mr Farrugia then remarked that the PL had not invited him. “This is a far cry from an offer to step down from the PN ticket and join Labour’s, as Mr Farrugia tried to imply,” the sources said.

In the interview Mr Farrugia said that he was congratulated on his decision to contest by friends in the Labour Party. “My challenge now is to talk to as many people as possible and convince them that even though I am contesting on the PN ticket I am contesting on behalf of all Maltese,” he said.