The Labour Party has criticised PN leader Adrian Delia for standing by party justice spokesman Jason Azzopardi in the wake of the findings of a magisterial inquiry into a migrant rescue.

The inquiry had been requested by the NGO Repubblika after several migrants died when their rescue was allegedly delayed. Jason Azzopardi, as legal adviser, had been among those who signed the application.

The inquiry by Magistrate Joe Mifsud found that the prime minister, the commander of the armed forces and a patrol boat crew were not responsible for the deaths and cleared them of homicide. 

The Labour Party said Delia in having failed to condemn Azzopardi for making false claims and for presenting an application without evidence, had again shown himself weak by giving in to the 'extremist faction' of the PN led by Simon Busuttil. 

The PL said the people would not forget how Azzopardi tried to hurt several people with extremely serious allegations of crimes that never took place.

Delia said a lot about good governance but failed whenever he had the chance to proved that he believed in it, the PL said.