Labour MP Silvio Parnis said on Monday that it was his decision not to form part of the Cabinet and not to contest the forthcoming general election.

However he had a good relationship with Prime Minister Robert Abela and would be loyal to his Christian Labour principles.

Parnis was dropped from his post as parliamentary secretary for the elderly during the December Cabinet reshuffle.

He said when speaking in Parliament on Monday that he had been offered a secretariat but refused.

Nonetheless, he said, he was proud of his 25 years in parliament and his work as parliamentary secretary, notably his work for the elderly. He had to introduce tough measures because of the virus. In a sense he was ‘a victim of Covid-19’ because of the criticism he received while he was parliamentary secretary, but he was confident that truth would eventually emerge.

The Opposition leader had lied about him, he said. But he could tell him that had he decided to seek re-election, he would have been elected with more votes. In contrast, the PN leader could only face defeat and the likelihood of a party revolt after the election.

Parnis said he was always clean and honest and would therefore continue to work for the people with a clear conscience.

“I will dedicate more time for God and work in favour of life and against abortion,” he said.

He would dedicate his life to the people, to unity and to a new style of politics because politics had descended to dirty levels, he said. He bore no malice against anyone.