Labour strengthened its hold on Gozo and the south despite fierce campaigning by the PN which tried to regain lost ground, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday.

Speaking on One Radio, he said the party had also done well in Mosta, Żebbuġ, Mellieħa, St Paul’s Bay and Birkirkara, winning the majority of votes. Apart from the south, Gozo had also been a priority.

“The PL saw its majority grow by five per cent and we will celebrate on the sister island on Sunday,” Dr Muscat said, pointing out that Labour had equalled the PN in the 12th district.

We will celebrate on the sister island on Sunday

He said Labour’s ideas and principles extended beyond the party to become a movement embracing people who associated themselves with such ideas rather than the party itself. Dr Muscat said obtaining three major victories in a row was no coincidence but proof that the party understood and responded to society.

He played down the possibility of Labour retaining its fourth European Parliament seat saying the vote tally at that stage made such a feat unlikely. The result and the big majority Labour won was a clear vote of confidence in the government.

He pledged that the government would remain grounded and continue listening to the people. “We made mistakes and corrected them and will not ignore anyone.”

He said it was significant that the small percentage of votes Labour had lost had not swung to the PN but to smaller parties or else people decided to remain at home.