European Socialists back MLP

The Labour Party said yesterday that European socialist leaders had expressed their backing for the party ahead of the June European Parliament elections.

The support was shown during the congress of the European Socialist Parties held in Brussels. An MLP delegation was headed by party leader Alfred Sant.

The MLP said socialist leaders who had expressed their support to the MLP included Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson, British Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Poul Rasmussen, the new president of the Party of European Socialists and former prime minister of Denmark, Enrique Baron Crespo and Gary Titley, president and vice-president respectively of the Socialist group in the European Parliament.

Prime Minister Persson praised a speech by Dr Sant on job creation and said the Maltese should back the Labour Party in the EP elections, the MLP said in a statement.

Mr Prescott augured that British and Maltese Labourites would work together. He said a vote for the MLP would mean the people's voice would be heard.

The congress, which closed yesterday afternoon, appointed former MLP deputy leader George Vella to the 33-member presidency of the Party of European Socialists and ratified the MLP's membership within the socialist grouping. An MLP call for trade unions to be given more space within the workings of the EU was included in the group's electoral programme.

Dr Sant described the MLP delegation's work in Brussels as a success which would lead to better political integration.

Among the speakers at the socialist congress yesterday was Helena Dalli, the MLP's spokesman on women's rights and public administration.