Two Labour MPs - Carmelo Abela and Chris Cardona - yesterday officially launched their bid for the post of party deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.

Accompanied by his wife and children, Mr Abela declared his intention to stand during a news conference at Tarxien, while Dr Cardona made his announcement in a statement to the media.

A former deputy speaker, Mr Abela pledged to work hard for the MLP to win the next general election and promised his support to the new leader and deputies, whoever they may be, even if he is not elected.

He said that during the campaign he would not be making any alliances with others contesting other positions within the party.

Should he be elected, Mr Abela promised to help the party's whip coordinate parliamentary work better, give MPs space to air their views on the party's media, give the people more access to their parliamentarians and promote proactive participation. He would also work to make Parliament more relevant and ensure that members had adequate resources to carry out their duties.

Mr Abela said that a professional team was needed for the Labour Party to update its vision and policy. He also proposed training for parliamentarians, especially new ones. The party's vision for the future, he said, should be based on the family.

On the other hand, Dr Cardona said he was prepared to start working with all his colleagues to help the party win back the confidence of the majority of the electorate in a short time.

Dr Cardona underlined the importance of consolidating the good elements within the party. However, the party also had to look forward and reunite workers.

The party had to be inclusive and open to all those interested in involving themselves, as well as being more open to the ideas of those who genuinely wanted it to be accepted by all sections of society.

The other contender for this post so far is Anġlu Farrugia. The election for the deputy leaders of the Labour Party is being held on June 12.