Opposition leader Simon Busuttil used a political meeting to make a pitch to Labour’s hardcore yesterday as he accused the Prime Minister of using and discarding people.

Dr Busuttil said the Prime Minister’s recent reference to soldiers of steel – a historic description of the Labour Party’s hardcore voters – was an indication that an election was just around the corner.

“The Prime Minister did the same last year and once in government forgot the soldiers of steel... instead he showered in gold the soldiers of the inner circle,” Dr Busuttil said at Żebbuġ.

He insisted people were queuing to register for employment while others in the PM’s inner circle were awarded lucrative jobs.

“I am confident this time around the soldiers of steel can see through the Prime Minister’s deceit,” he added.

Turning to his party’s fortunes, Dr Busuttil said it was “impossible” to overcome a 35,000 vote deficit in just a year and acknowledged the PN had lost a number of voters who 10 years ago voted for EU accession.

“We will be working in an honest way to win back their trust and show them the PN is still the party of vision it was 10 years ago,” he said.