Labour apologises for mistakes made in the past

Newly-elected Labour leader Joseph Muscat received a hero's welcome from a hyped-up crowd at his first rally at the party headquarters in Ħamrun yesterday, characterised by lengthy bear hugs, the blowing of kisses, the carrying of children and the emotional opening words: "I love you. Let us love each other".

Dr Muscat's call for unity was not only expressed in words, like "one family" and "everyone's home", but also in his actions towards those who had not backed him in his leadership campaign.

He indulged in a tight embrace with Maria Camilleri, welcoming her in particular, and saying her role was at the centre and not the periphery of the party.

He also affectionately embraced and specifically thanked MP Marlene Pullicino, saying she had the courage to promote her ideas, which she believed were for the good of the MLP.

Dr Muscat personally invited a host of former ministers and MPs, who attended yesterday's rally and whom he greeted enthusiastically, one after the other, telling them: "Brothers, your place is with us".

Leadership contender Evarist Bartolo was also present and Dr Muscat, referring to the four candidates, said the party would move forward with them, offering his "biggest thanks" to George Abela, whose work in the party was just about to start and whose home was there, he said.

"From now on, we do not belong to one candidate or another; we are all one party!"

Dr Muscat described the responsibility he had been handed on Friday as "an honour, a burden and a privilege" because he would be following in the footsteps of predecessors of "enormous" validity to whom he paid tribute individually.

A personal and human touch dominated Dr Muscat's address, particularly when he told the crowd he would tell them a story, addressing them almost as children.

That story was his own - of a boy, born into a simple family of workers, mostly farmers, who was "a bit promising" at school but would not have been able to enter the University had it not been for a "particular" party.

Dr Muscat went on to mention other events that would not have been possible without the MLP, referring to his wife's troubled pregnancy and the birth of their twins, who would not have survived had it not been for the health system set up by his party in the past.

"I am that man and you are that party," he said to a cheering crowd. "You gave me a lot and I want to give it all back to you."

Dr Muscat said Labour apologises for the mistakes it made in the past but it would also recall the good it had achieved.

"Call me Joseph," he said in the same familiar tone. "I was, am, and remain Joseph... And behind Joseph, there is no one... Just one person, my wife," he said, looking into her eyes and telling the crowd to "love her because she loves you".

The warmth of his address eventually gave way to a harder approach when, referring to his political adversary, he reiterated, in English: "The honeymoon is over. We are back in business, big time!"

While declaring he was willing to work with the government in the national interest, Dr Muscat warned that Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi would have to fulfil each and every electoral promise and, where he failed, he would have to face a ready and sturdy MLP.

The MLP was truly opening a new political season, where it had to be honest with the Maltese; where the government would find a strong opposition that would not give in.

It would be throwing open its doors to the irritated, or those who felt uncomfortable in the party, and "where they do not come, I will go out and get them myself".

But the MLP would also need to attract those who had never even dreamt of joining it. Labour had to ask itself why someone should join the party - a question that had not been posed enough in the last years.

The "political earthquake" ahead may not be to everyone's liking and could irritate some but the changes were necessary, Dr Muscat warned.

"We do not want to be just members of the EU but the best in Europe," he continued, saying the party headquarters had to be "the biggest factory of progressive ideas in the country", steering away from partisanship and veering towards what was good for Malta.

Dr Muscat wanted the rally of the "winning generation" to end specifically with the national anthem.