Nationalist MP Jesmond Mugliett hinted yesterday he may not contest the next election.

He was speaking at a Nationalist Party parliamentary group meeting after other MPs expressed concern that if only a minority of them voted in favour of the divorce Bill they would be looked upon negatively by many PN supporters who would punish them at the polls.

When contacted and asked whether he had in fact told the meeting he would not run for election, Mr Mugliett said the information had been “leaked selectively” by someone with an agenda. “I condemn this selective leakage which only reflects the usual negativity in my respect from certain quarters,” he said.

“I made my comments after one particularly vociferous MP – I will not mention his name because I admire him – said the party should respect the electorate and move on by voting yes rather than create another issue out of this. He said that unless the vast majority of MPs, including Cabinet, voted yes, he might as well not contest the next election because the few who do vote yes will be singled out and seen as going against the party.

“This is when I said I don’t share these preoccupations because I do not have to make the same considerations... My comment was not so explicit,” Mr Mugliett added.

Asked if he would contest the next election, Mr Mugliett said: “I will be more explicit about my position in the future.” Mr Mugliett, an architect, was first elected in 1996. In 1998 he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sports until 2003 when he was promoted to Minister for Youth and the Arts. He later served as Minister for Urban Development and Roads. He was not given a ministerial post when the PN won the 2008 election. Since then he has been outspoken on various issues including the black dust saga affecting localities in the south, the controversy surrounding ministerial pay rises and the government’s plans to extend the Delimara power station.

The parliamentary group discussed the parliamentary procedure over the next month, when the divorce Bill will be debated and voted upon.

MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando, who presented the divorce Bill together with Labour MP Evarist Bartolo last year, was not present as he is abroad on holiday. When contacted, he said he had informed the PN of his trip which was planned between last Wednesday (a public holiday) and this Sunday.

During the meeting, Prime Lawrence Gonzi steered clear of declaring his voting intentions but promised to give a thorough explanation before casting his vote during the second reading. He also urged all Nationalist MPs to do the same and explain their intentions during the debate. Dr Gonzi proposed that MPs would stand up when casting their vote individually.

This prompted a number of MPs to express concern that if most of the group, particularly the Cabinet, would vote against the Bill it would put those who voted yes in a negative light with PN supporters.

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