Government whip Glenn Bedingfield is set to make a return to the controversial blog he shut down in 2019, the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has heard.

Appearing before the board, Bedingfield explained that the blog began in 2015 and was only shut down when his work as an MP meant he found no time for writing.

It will make a comeback on glennbedingfield.com sometime in Easter, Bedingfield told Caruana Galizia family lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia.

Bedingfield’s blog was regularly criticised for his scathing tone, mainly when it came towards government critics, none more so than Caruana Galizia. It was revealed during the inquiry that Bedingfield had written over a thousand blog posts on Caruana Galizia while the blog was up and running.

Many had questioned the compatibility of his former role as a person of trust to the Prime Minister (till June 2017), and MP (from June 2017). As someone who worked closely with former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, attacks on his blogpost were often seen as an extension of government power.

It remains to be seen how this criticism will stop now that he has been promoted to Government Whip by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

He was also accused of blogging during work hours, in effect being paid by taxpayers as he worked on his personal blog.

Bedingfield denied any accusations to the public inquiry, insisting that his scathing criticism was an “equal and opposite reaction” to Caruana Galizia’s writing.

“My blog was political and served as the voice of people who were attacked by Caruana Galizia who couldn’t speak out. I don’t believe my writing had anything to do with the murder,” he said.

Meanwhile, he brushed off particularly damning articles as “guest posts”, even though he still is responsible for their publication.

He maintained that his blog was done on his own personal initiative with no government backing. When pressed on him writing articles while working at Castille, all he had to say was:

“There is a difference between working hours and hours at the office. I’m there for long stretches.”

A show he hosted with Luke Dalli, the son of EU Commissioner Helena Dalli, were Caruana Galizia was portrayed by a man who dressed up as witch obsessed with the occult, that would write the PN agenda, and was an alcoholic.

“It’s just satire,” he regularly maintained.

“You say that it was equal and opposite. But with a tv show, blogs, and other platforms, it seems you were the strong,” the board said.

He denied it, insisting that Caruana Galizia’s blog had a much greater reach.