The Labour Party on Wednesday again denied allegations that voting lists had been tampered ahead of Saturday's leadership election, after Net News published a screenshot of a WhatsApp chat alleging manipulation.

According to the screenshot, a Labour Party delegate told members of a WhatsApp group named ‘Delegates’ that people were caught inside a room with voting lists and had “taken over” the party’s headquarters. 

“They’ve taken over. They even closed Joseph [Muscat’s] office,” the man named ‘Duminku’ said in the chat. 

Earlier this week, Times of Malta revealed that leadership candidate Robert Abela had filed a complaint alleging that voting lists were being tampered with. 

The Labour Party had shut down those claims, saying that it had invested heavily in voting systems with safeguards to prevent manipulation. 

On Wednesday, following Net News’ report, it reiterated that statement and said the report was a “complete lie”. 

“The allegations are a repetition of what was alleged earlier this week in a daily newspaper,” the party said in relation to the Times of Malta report. 

“The Labour Party’s electoral commission can assure that the process is fair and diligent and is taking place in accordance with the party statute and rules agreed upon by all parties,” it said. 

The party also denied that anyone had taken over Dr Muscat’s office. 

“As recently as yesterday, the Prime Minister was in his office at Labour Party headquarters,” the PL said.