Historians deem MLP split unlikely

The newly-launched Popular Labour Movement is unlikely to cause a split within the Labour Party though it could cause a few jitters to the opposition, two of Malta's leading historians predict.

Anna Mallia, the only face so far behind the new movement, made the surprise announcement during the Sette Giugno ceremony last Tuesday, as she appealed to all Labour supporters to rally behind the new organisation.

MLP leader Alfred Sant does not appear to be losing much sleep over the new movement, calling it "another political gimmick". MLP general secretary Jason Micallef, however, lashed out at Dr Mallia and said the new organisation was absolutely no cause for concern.

Historian Dominic Fenech, a former general secretary of the Labour Party, does not believe the movement is seeking to create a split within the MLP.

"The way I see it is that the new movement is merely putting pressure on the leadership to change its policies. It's a group of people from the Socialist camp that is disagreeing with the policies as steered by leader Alfred Sant," Prof. Fenech said.

He believes the success of the Popular Labour Movement depends squarely on the way it organises itself and on the resources at its disposal.

"It's not enough to write letters in the media to make an impact and drive your message home. The Campaign for National Independence (Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici's anti-EU membership movement) didn't make any headway by doing that."

It was evident, he said, that Dr Mallia's group was not welcome inside the MLP and could not therefore exert pressure internally.Former Labour Foreign Affairs Minister Alex Sceberras Trigona and ex-Labour MP Maria Camilleri are not considered to be the type of persons to conspire to create a split within the party, Prof. Fenech said.

The two former Labour MPs were sitting besides Dr Mallia during Tuesday's ceremony, though their role within the movement, if any, is unclear.

Prof. Fenech recalled that this was not the first time in recent history that the MLP leadership was at loggerheads with prominent individuals within the party, citing in particular Dr Sant's notorious disagreements with Dom Mintoff and George Abela.

Ultimately, though, political history has shown that supporters rallied behind the main party.

"History shows the MLP and the Nationalist Party survived along the years; people like Herbert Ganado and Toni Pellegrini didn't."

Historian and author Henry Frendo shares Prof. Fenech's line of thought. He said that though the Popular Labour Movement might siphon off some supporters from the MLP, one can never underestimate the strength of the major party.

"When Ganado started with his attacks on (Gorg) Borg Olivier in 1958, Nationalist supporters actually rallied behind their leader, even if Ganado took some votes with him.

What is happening now could actually rally Labour Party supporters around Alfred Sant," Prof. Frendo said.

Prof. Frendo, author of The Origins Of Maltese Statehood, among other publications, however, said it was still too early to gauge the impact of the new movement. The timing of the movement to show its face in public was perfect though - just days after the French and the Dutch rejected the European Constitution.

The movement accused the MLP of being an accomplice to the Nationalist government's decision to ratify the European Constitution which it claimed would breach the Maltese Constitution.

"It's probably primarily a front to Dr Sant's change in EU policy. However one has to bear in mind that Dr Sant has the decision of the party's general conference behind him. Dr Sant has also been trying to de-Mintoffise the Labour Party and that's a difficult thing to do," Prof. Frendo said.

"So far, it's not clear what the movement stands for. It might be another variation of Front Maltin Inqumu and the Campaign for National Independence. And one can never know what happens if Mr Mintoff and Dr Mifsud Bonnici back the movement."

It is not the first time that the MLP faced a split. After the Labour victory in the election of 1947, Mr Mintoff was chosen as Minister of Works and Reconstruction, a post he held until September 1949.

Internal problems over the ultimatum given to the UK regarding Marshall Aid caused a split within the party.

By the end of 1949, Mr Mintoff became the leader of the Malta Labour Party and Paul Boffa launched the Malta Workers' Party.

Twelve years later, Mr Pellegrini left the party to set up the Partit tal-Haddiema Nsara.

The PN also had its fair share of internal disgruntlement, especially when Dr Ganado split from the party to launch the Partit Demokratiku Nazzjonalista. Both Mr Pellegrini and Dr Ganado campaigned against independence.

Former Prime Minister Gorg Borg Olivier faced immense pressure to resign in 1976, right after the PN's electoral defeat and two years after a split vote on the Republic within his party.