Adrian Delia left a Nationalist Party executive committee meeting on Monday night insisting that nobody in his party had “until today” called for vote of confidence on his leadership.

The PN leader appeared calm and soft-spoken as he spoke to journalists outside the PN’s headquarters at the end of the meeting, which got rowdy at times and which sources said was exemplified by Dr Delia’s right-hand man Pierre Portelli clashing with members over who was to blame for the PN’s woes.

Dr Delia declined to comment on why PN members were seen storming out of the building following the meeting.

“You’d need to ask them [why they were angry],” he said. “I am not. I have a clear vision of what the party needs to move forward”.

Dr Delia said he had never called for a vote of confidence in his leadership, and had not faced any calls for such a vote – yet.

“There are ways and means for such a vote to be called for,” he said. “I have not called for one, and until today nobody has either”.

Asked point-blank whether any members had resigned during the executive committee meeting, Dr Delia replied with a simple “no”.

Dr Delia’s aide and the party’s media chief Mr Portelli subsequently announced on Facebook that he would be stepping down as the boss of the party's media arm.

He said he had first offered to resign last week but had stopped short after speaking to Dr Delia. Monday’s meeting, however, made him return to his original decision.

Dr Delia will face his parliamentary group on Tuesday evening, with MPs opposed to his leadership expected to clearly demand that he step aside and make way for a new leader.

He has declined to comment on reports about that ultimatum, saying on Monday that it would “unethical” to discuss the workings of the PN’s parliamentary group.