Reference is made to the letter by Edward Torpiano on ‘Political responsibility’ (December 23).

He wrote that former Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil expected all members of the former leadership team to resign rather than just himself and that, in addition, Busuttil expected the party’s executive committee to invite him to stay on.

Allow me to categorically deny both these absurd statements, which are unfounded and far removed from the truth. I know this for a fact because I (general secretary at the time) was there.

Moreover, I am sure I also speak on behalf of my colleagues Mario de Marco, Beppe Fenech Adami, Ann Fenech, Paula Mifsud Bonnici and Karol Aquilina who were part of the former leadership team who, like me, witnessed events personally as they unfolded.

Busuttil’s decisive actions on political responsibility in the face of the June election result show that the truth is the opposite of what Torpiano wrote.

The entire leadership team resigned collectively because we all felt we should carry responsibility jointly, along with Busuttil.

Moreover, different members of the executive committee and other party structures ‒ as did thousands of party members ‒ asked Busuttil to stay. The fact that he chose to stick to his decision to leave shows, if anything, the mettle he is made of.

True leadership is leadership by example, where you do yourself what you expect others to do. Busuttil always distinguished himself for leading by example.

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