PN General Secretary Chris Said said today that politics needed honesty rather that 'soldiers of steel'.

He was reacting to comments made yesterday by former Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia, who at a PL activity described himself as a Labour soldier of steel.

Dr Said recalled that Dr Mallia had to leave the Cabinet after an attempted cover-up in the wake of the shooting incident involving his driver.

Had the facts not been revealed by the media, the people would have been led to believe that warning shots were fired int he air, he said.

It seemed that in order to be a soldier of steel with Joseph Muscat, one needed to be found guilty of something, Dr Said said.

What was needed in politics were not soldiers of steel, but honest people. 

Repeatedly asked about the e-mail he had received from a contractor about 'work for votes' before the last general election, Dr Said insisted he had nothing to add to what he had already said. 

Dr Said last week told Times of Malta work for votes did not imply abuse and the e-mail had made no allegation of abuse.