Isn’t It Strange That Chris Fearne Hasn’t Said A Word Yet?
It’s been six days since Jason Azzopardi came out with an explosive allegation involving Chris Fearne and Joseph Muscat and the former Minister has yet to comment about it.
Journalists have been messaging him for days and one even asked him point-blank outside court today but Fearne chose not to respond. At this stage, it’s bound to be an intentional strategy, but the question is why.
Azzopardi’s allegation is that Fearne told him that Muscat had offered Fearne a ‘devil’s pact’ – Muscat’s support for Fearne’s quest to become Prime Minister in return for Fearne’s protection of Muscat and Steward Healthcare. According to Azzopardi, Fearne told Muscat ‘inżabbab’ (no fucking way).
There are two question marks here – whether Fearne spoke to Azzopardi and whether Muscat spoke to Fearne. If Azzopardi invented his conversation with Fearne, it stands to reason that Fearne should have denied it by now.
Otherwise, why on earth let Azzopardi – one of the PL’s favourite targets – smear him and try to insinuate a rift with his former leader?
Despite the constant murmurs, Fearne has always been respectful to Muscat. Only a few months ago he was asked whether Muscat should run as an MEP candidate and responded that “he was a Prime Minister who gave a lot to our country, and I think the Labour Party has a lot to thank him for”.
If that’s the perception of Muscat that Fearne wants to show the public, why let Azzopardi’s claim go unanswered?
With every passing day that Fearne doesn’t comment, the likelihood grows that the first allegation (ie. did Fearne speak to Azzopardi?) is true.
The question will then turn to whether Muscat actually told Fearne what Azzopardi claimed he did. Either option will have serious consequences.
If it’s true, it would mean Muscat would have tried to pervert the course of justice and questions will naturally be asked of Robert Abela.
If it’s not true – and Muscat has said it isn’t – it would mean that the PL’s deputy leader would have lied about the PL leader to none other than Jason Azzopardi.
Either way, it will be Muscat’s word against Fearne’s and any remaining perception of PL unity would collapse like a house of cards.
Perhaps it isn’t surprising that Fearne has chosen the path of silence.
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