‘Let’s end the divisions’, Feetham tells GSD
Former GSD leader Daniel Feetham has called for an end to divisions within the party as the leadership election looms, telling members in a social media post that “we achieve nothing by turning on our own”.
In doing so Mr Feetham, who stood down as Leader earlier this year prompting the election process, signalled that he has no intention of continuing in politics beyond this term.
The call for unity follows a comment left on social media forums asking whether Keith Azopardi would appoint another former Progressive Democratic Party colleague to lead the GSD parliamentary team if he wins the leadership election.
The comment referred to Elliot Phillips even though he was not named.
The “ungenerous” remark prompted Mr Feetham to speak out in defence of his colleague who he described as a “very popular and effective parliamentarian”.
He further flagged a number of “unfair” comments regarding Mr Azopardi which, he said, have been made without knowledge of all the facts.
He explained that there were attempts to merge the GSD and the PDP or reach some accommodation between both parties in 2011 and 2012/2013.
“By then it had become clear that the merger between the GSD and Labour Party had not led to any shift in ideology,” Mr Feetham said.
“The success of the GSD was based on its broad base appeal and it included those who, like us, were on the left of the political spectrum.”
“It was certainly also clear to me in 2012/13, when I attempted to explore an agreement between both parties, that much of what the PDP was saying was not only sound and should be embraced by the GSD, but was attractive me personally because I believed in it,” he said pointing to the reform of the parliamentary and political system.
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