“In a situation like his, I would have turned on [my critics] and told them: ‘It’s in your hands. You know best. I don’t need anyone, do what you want’. However, Delia is doing the opposite and is telling them in simple words: ‘If you bullies appoint someone else as Opposition leader, I will stay on as PN leader until the people remove me.’”

“Meanwhile, those who want to remove him are being exposed and the longer they remain exposed, the greater the chance that they will be left isolated. The longer they remain exposed, the more people will say ‘look at how spiteful they are’.”

“Delia has played his final card but he has played it well. Most importantly, Delia has shown he isn’t an egoist because he didn’t abandon the people who elected him.”

Musumeci admitted he would have resigned had he been in Delia’s shoes, recounting how he had resigned from the party (he used to be Siġġiewi mayor) after he was personally criticised from people within his own former party.   

“When they did the same to me on a much smaller scale, I left quietly. If they want someone else, then get out or they’ll drive you crazy.”

“I realised I had better use of my time. I continued studying instead of giving them my time of day. With hindsight, I say thank god I did that or I wouldn’t have got to where I am now.”

“But Delia isn’t me. I used to know Delia, I knew he is resilient to attacks, but now I’m realising that Delia is much more than that.”