Former Labour councillor and activist Desmond Zammit Marmarà has left the Labour Party.

In a Times of Malta opinion piece, Zammit Marmarà says that, after “decades”, he decided not to renew his membership.

“I still consider myself a staunch Labourite but by this I now understand simply yearning for the day when once again I shall be able to form part of a Labour Party that is really Labour in its decisions and actions and not a sham, being Labour in name only,” he writes.

Zammit Marmarà had for several years served in Labour Party’s think tanks and was a Balzan local councillor.

But he became a strident critic of former prime minister Joseph Muscat and expressed hope that Robert Abela would cut ties with the old Labour regime and restore good governance, rule of law and Malta’s reputation.

However, earlier this year he warned that the Labour Party was being ruined by “brainless idiots”.

He has now taken his accusations further, saying that “only a fool will continue to live in a state of denial and continue to defend what has now become indefensible”. He did not single out anyone in particular.

“The truth is that today’s Labour Party is no longer the political party providing a shield for the workers but has become the political party representing first and foremost the interests of big business,” he said.

He also raises the issue of corruption: “Week after week, we have now become accustomed to new cases of corruption coming to light. Is the present government simply unable to put a stop to this,” he asked.