Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning that the Labour Party would not shirk from holding politicians to account, despite incendiary comments such as the ones made in parliament on Friday morning by Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo.
Mr Vassallo on Friday said the opposition's censure motion against Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici was immoral and amounted to psychological violence aimed at destroying the minister and his family.
Dr Muscat said that 'bishop' Vassallo, who had issued a fatwa against progressive ideas, now felt that instead of making political arguments, he should bring morality into the argument, claiming Labour was out to destroy the minister's family.
Labour, Dr Muscat said, was not out to destroy any minister's family, but ministers had to be held to account.
Perhaps bishop Vassallo would remember the attempts made to destroy Alfred Sant family (applause) or that of John Dalli (applause).
There again, bishop Vassallo could remember the families who were destroyed by the water and electricity bills which had reduced them to poverty, the families of the former bus drivers, those at Enemalta, Air Malta, the dockyard, and the families of the south who were suffering the pollution of the power station.
Bishop Vassallo could remember the distress being suffered by the families of those who could not have children how the government, because of the bishops within it, had not enacted IVF legislation.
Labour expected the Church to do its duty and it considered it a partner in its considerations, Dr Muscat said, but the government should do its duty in the interests of society. IVF legislation would be among the priorities of a Labour government.
This government, he added, was also causing distress to gay couples, again because of the absence of legislation which recognised their situation.
Dr Muscat said he did not know if the censure motion would be approved on Wednesday, but if it was, it was inconceivable that Dr Mifsud Bonnici could remain Leader of the House and minister for home affairs.
Referring to (Labour MP) Adrian Vassallo's interview, carried yesterday, Dr Muscat said that those who tried to interfere and instil division in the Labour Party ended up having their fingers burnt since the PL emerged stronger and more united.