Muscat sets out his vision for MLP leadership

Labour MEP Joseph Muscat said today that he will be submitting his nomination for the leadership of the Labour Party without any preconditions.

In an obvious reference to newspaper reports that he had set conditions on who the deputy leaders should be, should he be elected leader, Dr Muscat said:

"I will submit my nomination without any conditions. Should I be elected, I am ready to work with any persons selected by the Labour Party as deputy leaders and for the other posts."

In his statement, Dr Muscat said Malta needed major environmental, social and economic reform so that it could reach the standards of its partners in the EU.

A changed, strengthened and positive Labour Party was the best way how these reforms could be brought about, bringing together all sectors of society including employees and employers, businesses, young people and intellectuals, he said.

For this to be brought about, a strong and inclusive movement needed to be created. This had to be a movement which went beyond the MLP and included all those who held innovative ideas and initiatives which would create wealth .

Dr Muscat said that in order for the MLP to build such a movement around it, it needed to strengthen itself from within. It also needed to have a leader who could earn the respect not only of the party's core supporters but also those who had drifted away and those who had never been part of it.

"I believe I can be the person to bring together all these elements so that we can have a Labour government by 2013 which can then realise the aspirations of our people and our country. I believe I can set a vision and dedicate the energy so that in 60 months' time we can be chosen by the people to lead this country."

Dr Muscat placed young people as the foundations for this project, saying that in the past few years the MLP had failed to draw enough support from this sector of the population.

"I want to show my fellow young people that with the MLP and the movement which we will create, they can be part of the Winning Generation," he said.

Therefore, Dr Muscat said, after having consulted his family and several other persons, he had decided to submit his nomination for party leader once nominations open.

(An interview with Dr Muscat was carried in The Sunday Times yesterday)