The GSD has sent another statement regarding the McGrail inquiry report:

“Mr Picardo says he has the “fulsome support” of Ministers. If so they should all say. Yesterday Ms Arias-Vasquez said she backed a Chief Minister who has been found to have attempted to interfere in a criminal investigation. What do others say?”

Leader of the Opposition, Keith Azopardi said: “The GSD have brought a Motion of No Confidence against Mr Picardo which is on the Parliamentary agenda. Ministers will need to decide whether to back him or sack him and there will be no hiding place on the issue when the time comes.

“It’s now been over two months since the Government received the Inquiry Report and almost three weeks since publication.

“In all that time no Minister has said anything about the Inquiry Report except for Ms Arias-Vasquez’s forced answer during the course of an interview on another subject. Given the serious findings that the Chief Minister acted improperly and attempted to interfere in a criminal investigation it is remarkable that Ministers think they can get away with silence.

“The reality is that silence is acquiescence and amounts to support of the Chief Minister. Sooner or later all Ministers will need to pronounce themselves on this question unless of course the Chief Minister is scared of allowing each Minister a free vote on the issue and seeks to amend the No Confidence Motion to prevent them from voting on whether they have confidence in him.”