Former Labour general secretary denies Nazzareno Vassallo’s donations claim

At one point in his interview (The Sunday Times, April 24) Nazzareno Vassallo said: “For the past 40 years I’ve been asked for donations by both parties and I helped both equally.”

Well, let me put the record straight. In my entire tenure as general secretary of the Labour Party from November 2003 to October 2009, the party never received a single penny, nor asked Mr Vassallo for any donations whatsoever. This could never have happened, as I, together with then Labour leader Alfred Sant, wouldn’t have accepted nor asked for any donations from Mr Vassallo. The same must be said for the period of Joseph Muscat’s leadership until I relinquished my post in October 2009.

I challenge Mr Vassallo to publicly produce any receipts in his possession for his alleged donations to the PL during the years I served as its general secretary. It is worth noting that during this period the PL and I contested six local elections, two European Parliament elections, and one general election. In none of these electoral campaigns did the PL receive, request or accept any donations from Mr Vassallo.

It is not in my nature and will never be to let hypocrites like Mr Vassallo get away with lies and take people for a ride with false statements.