The Labour Party was trying to project a new image with people such as candidate Deborah Schembri who “has the face of a Nationalist", PN deputy leader Simon Busuttil said in a televised political debate.
Dr Busuttil said that even though Labour had repackaged itself, it had not changed.
The deputy leader’s statement put a smile on Dr Schembri’s face. She was also taking part in the debate and said: “It’s the first time I’m hearing I have the face of a Nationalist – I didn’t know I had such a coloured face.”
She said she turned to the Labour Party, even though she was a Nationalist, because she believed in its values and no longer felt an affinity with the PN.
Dr Busuttil said that he was disappointed at Dr Schembri’s decision. “I wanted you to think after divorce referendum took place and come with us,” he said.
During the debate, Dr Busuttil strongly denied claims by the PL’s Home Affairs spokesman Michael Falzon that a Nationalist government was trying to subtly introduce payment for medicines.
“It will be offering a refund – and not asking for payment – for out-of-stock medicines in exceptional cases,” he said.
Dr Falzon also insisted healthcare would remain free under a Labour government and held up a copy of the party’s electoral manifesto, which was launched during an extraordinary general council tonight.
Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo contested statements that the party’s slogan Malta For All was true as he held up a copy of The Sunday Times interview with former Labour Party Deputy Leader Anġlu Farrugia accusing party leader Joseph Muscat of “political murder”.
“You have a deputy leader, one of your colleagues, talking about political murder. Tell him that Malta is for all,” he said.
Dr Schembri referred to comments by former Nationalist MP Franco Debono who had accused the Government of not informing or consulting him about the budget measures.
Dr Busuttil said that Dr Debono had voted against the instructions of the party whip and they had decided he could not be a candidate for the general election.
“But we didn’t do this to him,” he said holding up a copy of The Sunday Times interview with Dr Farrugia.
The Nationalist Party never closed its eyes to corruption and neither would he, Dr Busuttil added.