Speaker Anġlu Farrugia is not contesting the general election next month, insisting that participation in politics would be degrading to his role.

“For the sake of correctness and with great responsibility, I can say that I would not be fulfilling my national duty as Speaker if I participated in politics during the electoral campaign. I want to set an example, especially since I am the first Speaker to have maintained distance from any political bandwagon,” Dr Farrugia told the Times of Malta yesterday, adding that he would be issuing an official statement on the matter in the coming days.

He pointed out that when he was appointed Speaker he left the Labour Party in order to maintain autonomy, and while he insisted that he owed his political career to the party, he said as soon as he had taken on the role, he wanted to ascertain that any political currents would not condition him.

Before the last election, Dr Farrugia resigned as Labour Party deputy leader over his allegation that a magistrate was politically biased, a comment that party leader Joseph Muscat had described as unacceptable.

Dr Muscat asked Dr Farrugia to step down, because the remark was deemed to be “out of place” and “undermined one of the country’s highest institutions”, the judiciary. Dr Farrugia subsequently did not contest the 2013 election and was then appointed speaker the March after the Labour Party won the election.

“My life has always been centred around the Labour Party, and I have always worked for the correctness of my public life, as well as that of those around me, and that is why I immediately resigned from the party.

“My participation in politics while Speaker, whichever direction this may take, would be degrading towards all that I have built,” he added.

Asked if his decision had been affected by the current political climate and corruption allegations surrounding the Prime Minister and those closest to him, Dr Farrugia denied this was the case.

He insisted that since assuming his role, he had not been involved with the Labour Party or any other party.

Dr Farrugia will join a number of other long-serving members of Parliament who will not be seeking re-election when Malta goes to the polls in June.

These members include Joe Debono Grech, who served as a minister under Dom Mintoff, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, Alfred Sant, George Vella and Charles Buhagiar.

Former minister Godfrey Farrugia, who resigned as Labour whip last week, will also not be seeking re-election with the Labour Party in June.