Employment figures included in the pre-Budget document contradict the government’s claims on the creation of 20,000 jobs, according to Labour leader Joseph Muscat.

He said the figures showed that only 4,246 jobs had been generated between 2008 and 2011, with the gainfully occupied rising from 145,518 to 149,764.

Speaking during a One Radio interview, Dr Muscat said this figure belied the government’s claims and people deserved an explanation.

He attacked the “amateur” Finance Minister Tonio Fenech and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, who, he said, were contradicting each other.

But Mr Fenech rebutted the claims, saying Dr Muscat was confusing the creation of jobs with people in employment, insisting that 20,000 jobs had been generated in four years.

Dr Muscat said the country’s economic targets would not be met this year, particularly the deficit target that was meant to have dropped by €50 million but, instead, ballooned by €94 million so far.

“They are using the excuse that they had to pump €25 million into Enemalta to keep power tariffs down. But the numbers do not add up,” he argued. “If anything, this showed how the government was in a position to rein in electricity tariffs and could have done so for the past four years.”

He said it was evident that the government wanted to cut tariffs prior to the election.

Dr Muscat said the Labour Party would not fall for the trick of promising heaven on earth and would opt out of “vote auctions”.

He was referring to the recent announcement of a one-time payment of between €1,000 and €1,900 to police officers and a measure whereby first-time home buyers can apply for a subsidised interest rate to purchase their property.

He said the party would rely on its “concrete proposals” and present a road map for economic growth.

He said the one-off payment to the police was blatant electioneering. While the party was in favour of any improvement in working conditions and salaries for policemen, the government only acted now because an election was approaching.

Asked about the situation in the health sector, Dr Muscat said the problems emanated from the fact that Mater Dei Hospital was smaller than St Luke’s Hospital, which was now being used as a rehabilitation hospital.

“The problem would have been much worse had it not been for the doctors and nurses,” he said, adding that the government was intent on “killing primary health care” by driving people away from health centres and polyclinics.

He said that the PL would equip the primary health centres so that people would go there rather than to Mater Dei.