Labour MPs on Tuesday refused to condemn Konrad Mizzi’s repeated refusal to appear before parliament's public accounts committee to answer for the Electrogas power station deal.

Opposition MPs tabled a motion for the entire committee to condemn Mizzi’s behaviour, but Mizzi’s former colleagues voted against the proposal.

This led Opposition MPs Beppe Fenech Adami, Karol Aquilina and Ryan Callus to accuse their Labour colleagues of being in cahoots with the former energy minister.

Mizzi was kicked out of Labour’s parliamentary group last year over the Montenegro wind farm scandal.

Labour whip Glen Bedingfield accused the Opposition of playing to the gallery with their proposed motion to condemn Mizzi’s behaviour.

Hitting back, Aquilina said the former minister had been stringing the committee along for almost a month, having first outright refused to attend a hearing, then stalling thereafter.

Aquilina said Mizzi’s tactics had significantly delayed the committee’s work in scrutinising the Electrogas contracts.

“PAC should send the message this behaviour is unacceptable,” Aquilina said.

Government MPs argued it would be better to agree on a date when to next summon Mizzi, rather than playing partisan games.

After the Opposition motion was shot down, the committee agreed to summon Mizzi for a hearing on November 3.

Aquilina slammed the government members, accusing them of not having the courage to condemn Mizzi’s behaviour.

Mizzi told the committee on Monday that he was unable to attend Tuesday's sitting as he had a planned trip abroad.

The former minister informed the committee in writing that he, together with his lawyers Carol Peralta and Jean Paul Sammut, would be available to attend parliament next week.