Cardona says Labour needs 'bullet-proof' policies

Deputy Labour leader contender Chris Cardona yesterday appealed to delegates to keep in mind that the individual whom they elect to the post ought to reflect the same political vision as the leader.

Welcoming Joseph Muscat as the party's new head, Dr Cardona said this vision was of a party that welcomes the moderates who believe in social-democratic politics as well as the progressives who want to see the country move forward and become a European country with a clear agenda. The Labour MP was addressing the media to outline his platform as a contender for deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, which he reached after evaluating the suggestions and complaints made by delegates over the past months.

He said the MLP's policy making needs to be re-thought in order to ensure that the policies presented to the electorate were "bullet proof" and could not be attacked on the eve of an election. Policy, he added, must address the needs and expectations of the electorate.

All this would be achieved by opening up the discussion about the party's agenda to an array of people genuinely interested in seeing the country have a leadership based on the Labour party's beliefs.

He also called on delegates to vote for a deputy leader who offered absolute and unconditional loyalty towards the party and its new leader.

Wishing the other contenders well, he said he had no doubt that, as from tomorrow, the party under the new leadership would start working to become "everybody's party".