Last night’s edition of current affairs programme Dissett was postponed by a week after the Broadcasting Authority decided that Nationalist deputy leader Simon Busuttil should also take part in the programme with his new Labour counterpart Louis Grech.

The chosen date should wait until after the New Year’s celebrations

On Friday, the Nationalist Party objected to PBS’s decision to hold the programme with Mr Grech as the sole guest. Dr Busuttil was meant to have been given a recorded slot to have his say.

Yesterday, the BA met to consider the Nationalist Party’s objection, and after listening to the PN’s and PBS’s arguments, while taking into consideration the communication it received from the Labour Party, it recommended the inclusion of Dr Busuttil in the programme.

Both the PN and the PL appeared to agree on the matter, but because of the change in format and participants the programme had to be postponed, it said in a statement.

In a letter sent to the BA just before the meeting, Labour said that when it received the invitation for Mr Grech, the party had suggested including Dr Busuttil in the programme.

However, to “avoid any controversy”, the PL concluded that the programme should be postponed to enable Dr Busuttil to take part.

The chosen date should respect the agreement reached between both parties, which stipulated that the election campaign should wait until after the New Year’s celebrations.

In its reaction, the PN accused the PL of avoiding confrontation with Dr Busuttil and using the Christmas festivities as an excuse.

It added that the Labour Party had not objected to the programme as long as Mr Grech was being interviewed on his own.

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