John Dalli (July 16) accused The Times and myself of publishing and writing fiction when I referred to Dom Mintoff’s candidacy “on a personal manifesto” within the Labour Party for the 1996 election. I have looked at several reports in newspapers at the time and the gist of their reporting was that during the district meetings held by Dom Mintoff he made declarations of policy which were not in line with those of Labour Leader Alfred Sant.

By his own admission Mr Dalli revealed the unhappy position Dr Sant found himself in at the time, hence his “non-committal” attitude to Mr Mintoff’s candidacy.

Mr Dalli wrote that all Mr Mintoff wanted was free access, “something he was never denied” and to hold his own corner meetings. Free access to what? Certainly not to Labour’s headquarters in Ħamrun. Mr Dalli stands contradicted by the list of complaints made by Dom Mintoff in Parliament before the fall of Dr Sant’s government.

I have never claimed to be anything but a columnist and writer inspired by the aspirations of the Nationalist Party as fulfilled throughout its history by the support of the majority of the Maltese people, hence Mr Dalli’s cheap assertion “if Mr Felice Pace is half the man he claims to be” is nothing but a figment of his own imagination.