Austin Gatt should be booted out of the Nationalist Party if everyone had to assume responsibility for their actions, former PN MP Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said this morning.

Referring to comments made yesterday by PN MEP, Simon Busuttil, who is also touted as a favourite candidate for the deputy leadership post, Dr Pullicino Orlando said that it is a shame that Dr Busuttil was humiliated by the PN.

Dr Busuttil yesterday said on radio that if the possibility of reconciliation existed with Franco Debono, then the party should go for it.

“Dr Busuttil is a well-meaning individual but he was obviously overruled by Austin Gatt and Richard Cachia Caruana, yet again,” Dr Pullicino Orlando said.

Referring to Dr Gatt and Mr Cachia Caruana, Dr Pullicino Orlando maintained that they are ones who are running the show. “They are the ones who have brought the once proud, strong and united party to its knees. It is obvious that if, as Dr Busuttil rightly said, everyone should assume their responsibilities Dr Gatt would be booted out for the Fairmount, BWSC, SeaMalta, Arriva, car park fiasco, one expensive failure after another. I wish Dr Busuttil well but it is obvious that he has undertaken a task akin to cleaning the Augean stables,” added Dr Pullicino Orlando.

Dr Debono was banned by the Nationalist Party from contesting the general election on the party ticket. This week he said that many people had urged him to consider contesting for the deputy leadership post. His usually confrontational tone was conspicuously absent these past few days and many started questioning whether Dr Debono was considering reconciliation with the party.