Labour has roped in 8,000 new members since it began a recruitment drive headed by former party president Manuel Cuschieri last year.

Mr Cuschieri said Labour's paid-up members had risen to 27,000, from 19,000 in October 2008 - meaning it is catching up with the Nationalist Party's 30,000 members.

"We are going around every home, irrespective of political beliefs.

"Until now we have visited the first five districts and Gozo, meaning we have seven districts left," Mr Cuschieri told The Sunday Times.

Mr Cuschieri, who in the past irked many with his controversial talk shows on radio, said in Gozo alone the Labour Party managed to convince 900 people to register.

The new members came from all walks of life, including former Nationalist sympathisers or people who used to be Labour Party members but dropped out in recent years, he said.

"There are also a lot of young people who are just starting to become interested in politics," Mr Cuschieri said.

He denied rumours, however, that he had been interested in contesting the role of party general secretary.

The Labour Party last week proposed to abolish the role, which was previously occupied by Jason Micallef before he was asked to step down last October.

"I am fully concentrated on this new members campaign which I think will take me another year, at least, to conclude," he said.

"Every party leader has the right to make decisions based on what they think will help the party win and make it more effective. God forbid the leader is not given the chance to adopt his own systems and ideas," he said.

However, he disagreed with the view expressed in some quarters that the roles of deputy leader and general secretary collided in some instances.

"If the roles are properly defined they both have an important role to play within the party," he said.

Mr Cuschieri said he made the house visits with about four other team members, whom he described as smart and well-versed party activists.

"I was vice-president and president of the party for a number of years so I have already given a lot to the party. I was part of the winning team in 1996," he added.

Mr Cuschieri is the brother of Joseph Cuschieri, who was elected as an MEP but is still waiting for his seat to be granted to him under the Lisbon Treaty.

cperegin@timesofmalta.com