Labour leader mum on Micallef's controversial claims

Labour leader Joseph Muscat is refusing to comment about a number of controversial claims made by his former general secretary Jason Micallef, who recently stepped down from his post.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Micallef accused Labour's president and temporary general secretary Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi of lying on the TVM discussion programme Dissett last Tuesday.

"He (Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi) said it was his choice not to contest the (general secretary's) post in January. He lied. I had made that condition," Mr Micallef said.

He said he had been made a scapegoat after the defeat in the last general election even though there were four other people in the strategy team, including Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi.

"I was upset that I got all the blame and he (Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi) got away scot-free. Can you tell me why he was never criticised?"

Mr Micallef had said that if he was not good enough to be general secretary nor was Dr Zrinzo Azzopardi. The two have been working together in the PL's executive for the past six years.

When Dr Muscat was asked for a reaction, his spokesman refrained from saying anything about Mr Micallef's comments. He simply echoed the speech Dr Muscat made during Sunday's political meeting where he criticised Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi for being more concerned with the conflicts within his parliamentary group than running the country.

"Joseph Muscat is fully and firmly concentrated on the concerns Maltese and Gozitan families have: the difficulties they are facing to make ends meet, their worries about unfairness and corruption, as well as the exorbitant utility bills and concerns about their jobs," the spokesman said.

"Dr Muscat is putting all his energies into forming a movement and leading a party, which reflects the concerns of ordinary people. That is his priority and will remain so," he added.

When pressed on the phone, Dr Muscat said he had nothing to add and refused to say whether Mr Micallef's comments compromised his new post as chairman of the PL's media arm One Productions.