Joseph Muscat showered praise on the Labour Party's election candidates this evening, describing them as "cutting edge".

The Labour leader said in Pieta' that voters in every district would have difficulty choosing between the candidates.

Speaking shortly before the deadline for the submission of election nominations,  Dr Muscat said Labour candidates were accomplished in their respective fields.

Interviewed by TV presenter Miriam Dalli, Dr Muscat reiterated his party's planning policies that will see Mepa's planning and environmental functions separated.

He defended this decision, saying the experiment of merging the two functions had failed.

Dr Muscat said planning fees would be reduced to a more realistic level within weeks of a new Labour government taking office. Developments aimed at regenerating urban areas would carry more advantageous fee structures, he added.

Dr Muscat also criticised the PN's budgeting of its proposals, saying a gas pipeline was not even catered for.

"Government's gas pipeline proposal, including a floating LNG terminal will cost €700 million and the PN did not budget a single euro for this in its manifesto costings," Dr Muscat said.

He also took at a dig at the PN's night time tariff proposal, insisting it was unclear by how much utility bills will go down, drawing comparisons with Labour's energy plan.