Opposition leader Adrian Delia has apologised to an entertainer and lawyer for an attack on her in the PN's own Sunday newspaper.
Dr Delia telephoned former Malta Eurovision song contest entrant Lynn Chircop, now Lynn Faure, on Sunday night after Il-Mument derided her as a failed singer.
The paper ran a story about Dr Chircop joining the Labour Party's political training academy for women under the headline: "Lynn Chircop tries her luck with the Labour Party...after her disappointment in the music scene."
She represented Malta in the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'To Dream Again' and she is now dreaming of political success after failing in the musical scene, the newspaper observed. In the Eurovision Song Contest she placed in the penultimate position.
Her father Philip Chircop, formerly head of the PN workers' section, recently publicly resigned from the PN.
Dr Faure has joined the PL's LEAD programme, led by MEP Miriam Dalli. Also in the programme is Joanna Camilleri, a former award-winning judoka. LEAD is a women's political training programme.
Illum ċempilt lil Dr Lynn Faure u skużajt ruħi magħha għal dak li jien ħassejt kien rapportaġġ goff u mhux f’postu f’artiklu li deher fil-Mument. Din l-iskuża nestendiha wkoll għal kull min issemma’ fl-artiklu. Tlabt lill-ġurnal il-Mument jirtiraw l-artiklu minnufih.
— Adrian Delia (@adriandeliapn) November 17, 2019
The PN newspaper article penned by Joe Mikallef, drew a furious reaction from various quarters, including some PN supporters, who viewed it as a way to make enemies. One writer on social media observed that the attack was "shallow" more so as another local Eurovision song contest participant sits on the PN's parliamentary benches.
The @PNmalta personal attack on two participants of @leadmalta exposes a misogynistic streak which stems from a brand of macho politics that is beyond outdated. These attacks are meant to scare women away from politics and @PL_Malta. We’re way stronger than that!
— Miriam Dalli MEP (@Miriamdalli) November 17, 2019
Dr Delia said in a tweet that he had phoned Dr Faure and apologised to her for what he viewed as inappropriate reporting which had no place in the newspaper. Dr Delia said he was also apologising to other people mentioned in the article. He said he had asked the newspaper to withdraw the article. His tweet was retweeted by several PN MPs including former singer Claudette Buttiġieġ.
Dr Faure reacted to the newspaper article early on Sunday with an attack on the PN, saying she did not "expect integrity from anyone in the PN but if there is anyone who still holds human principles with responsibility, I expect to be given a right to reply."
