Labour mum on eurosceptic candidate

The Labour Party's administration is tight-lipped over the future of a declared eurosceptic candidate in the general election.

While confirming that Sharon Ellul Bonici is still contesting on the MLP ticket for the next election, Labour's general secretary Jason Micallef declined to say whether the party considers her active involvement in a eurosceptic European Parliament party as being out of line with the MLP's official position on Europe.

"These are internal matters," Mr Micallef said, refusing to elaborate when it was put to him that a public candidature was not, in fact, a private matter.

Questions sent to Ms Ellul Bonici in Brussels have also remained unanswered. A founder of the NO2EU campaign before Malta's EU referendum, she has been working in Brussels for the past four years with the Independence/ Democracy group - a eurosceptic group of MEPs, including the UK Independence Party, which advocates Britain's withdrawal from the EU. After a short stint as parliamentary assistant to Labour MEP John Attard Montalto, she returned to work for the Independence/ Democracy group.

Labour administration sources pointed out that Ms Ellul Bonici's role and current activities are not in line with the MLP's current policy on the EU and that her case is currently being discussed by the party's vigilance board.

Last December, Ms Ellul Bonici was involved in an incident at the EP's chamber in Strasbourg when she was escorted out of the chamber during a protest organised by the eurosceptics during the ceremonial signing of the Lisbon Treaty.

Ms Ellul Bonici was taking photos inside the chamber during the protest when she claimed that she was attacked by the ushers and an MEP.

EP president Hans Goert Pottering's spokesman has not yet replied to the allegations and is waiting to meet several eurosceptic MEPs to establish the facts related to this incident.

The spokesman failed to rule out disciplinary measures against the MEPs and the staff members involved in the December incident following the interviews to be held later on this week.