Deputy Speaker Carmelo Abela resigned his post yesterday as part of a Labour protest over the Speaker's handling of the vote on the extension of the Delimara power station on Thursday night.
In a press conference called after an urgent parliamentary group meeting, Labour leader Joseph Muscat accused the Speaker, Michael Frendo, of being a puppet of the Prime Minister. "The Chair is being led by remote control by the Prime Minister. The situation is surreal," he said.
The Speaker's Office said Dr Frendo's ruling was in line with parliamentary standing orders and pointed out that almost all microphones in the House had been turned off when the individual MPs were voting on the motion.
Labour's reaction centres on the vote of Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea who in the midnight vote on Thursday called a yes when it was his turn to vote, effectively approving the opposition motion condemning the government over the power station extension contract.
Mr Galea immediately raised a point of order and the Leader of the House, Tonio Borg interjected to declare it a mistake, cutting him short.
At that point, Dr Borg turned the tables and said Labour MP Justyne Caruana had earlier made a similar mistake.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday that five other Nationalist MPs had heard Dr Caruana vote against the motion but the Gozitan MP denied it vehemently, calling Dr Borg a liar. She said she was the victim of a "frame-up" by Dr Borg and Dr Gonzi.
Amid uproar, the vote was discontinued and the Speaker said he wanted to hear the recordings. He later called for a re-vote after declaring that the recording was not clear. The opposition walked out, insisting it had won the vote.
Dr Muscat insisted yesterday the opposition could not accept the twisting of parliamentary rules to suit the government, adding that it was disappointed with the actions of Dr Frendo, who took office on Monday with Labour's approval.
He also said that until Dr Caruana received an official apology from the Prime Minister and Dr Borg, Labour would be boycotting the parliamentary committee on strengthening democracy, which was meant to debate sticky reforms on the electoral system and party financing, among others. Further action could be announced.
Dr Muscat described what happened in Parliament as "unacceptable arrogance", adding that the government, with a "half-seat majority", had undermined democracy in the most obscene manner.
In reaction, the PN's parliamentary group said the decision to withdraw from the parliamentary committee meant the opposition was mixing genuine mistakes during a vote with discussions on important issues such as strengthening of democracy, the Commission Against Corruption and the Office of the Ombudsman.
The PN group said that, coupled with Mr Abela's decision to resign, the matter showed "disrespect for the country's institutions".
The group said the behaviour of Labour MPs and of Labour supporters in the strangers' gallery was reminiscent of the 1970s and the 1980s, a comment that echoed a charge made by the Prime Minister in the morning that there were insults and swearing hurled at the government benches during the chaos.
The Speaker said he listened to the recording together with the Clerk of the House and two Clerk assistants but it was impossible to verify how Dr Caruana had voted.
Only the microphone of the Clerk was switched on. In the circumstances, the Speaker said he had no alternative but to order a re-vote, as provided in standing orders.
A copy of the recording has been sent to the whips of the two parliamentary groups.