PL has ‘no problem’ apologising to people who feel hurt

The Labour Party has no problem apologising to anyone who felt hurt, party deputy leader Daniel Micallef said.

He was reacting to an opinion piece written by President emeritus Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, a former Labour minister, who appealed to her party to apologise to the country and the party’s supporters.

Questioned about the article during a press conference held Monday morning, Micallef said he had taken note of Coleiro Preca’s words, insisting that the actions of the few do not reflect the party’s beliefs.

The Labour Party is facing a string of accusations after Former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri, right hand man to former Labour leader and PM Joseph Muscat, was arraigned on money laundering and corruption charges.

Muscat resigned in January 2020 after his office was also linked to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in October 2017.

“The behaviour of the few is not a reflection of the genuine activism of many within the Labour Party. We will build on the good and reform where we did bad,” he insisted.

When it was pointed out that ‘the few’, were people who occupied senior positions within the party, Micallef insisted the PL will not shelter criminality.

“It is irrelevant who these people are. They are not a reflection of the thousands who make up this party. Evil will find no shelter in the Labour Party,” Micallef said.

Former Labour MP Maria Camilleri, who co-authored a book commemorating Muscat’s 10 years as party leader, also joined the calls for the party to apologise.

The press conference was called for Labour to express its support to the government on the launching of a consultation period to legalise the recreational use of cannabis.