A strong mandate will help Labour carry out the reforms needed to take the country forward, Robert Abela told party supporters on Tuesday.

Addressing a Labour Party event in Paola, Abela warned every vote “lost” would represent a win for those who wanted to take the country back to the past.

“Let us send a message that this country will not go back to the past. Let us send a clear message that the politics of the past is over, let us choose the future. Saturday’s vote is not simply a vote for a party. It is a vote for the future you want for your children.”

Abela moved to quell fears, pushed by the opposition, that a larger Labour majority could spell bad news for the country.

“The more trust you place in us, the humbler we will be. It will provide us with the strength and courage to undertake reforms. The Opposition opposes every single change and reform. Therefore, I will need a strong parliamentary group to carry out these reforms,” Abela said.

Abela warned about going back to a past where women were thrust aside and men were allowed to dictate their lives, where thousands were unemployed and where people had to make a choice between warming their homes or buying medicine.

He said a vote for Labour on Saturday is a vote for a better future, better pensions and a better environment.

“The opposition does not deserve your trust…Do not vote for us merely because voting for the opposition is a risk, vote for us because doing so will offer Malta a better future”.

He further urged Labour supporters to get out and vote early on Saturday morning, reminding them that every election starts at nil-nil.

Abela said Labour has a strong, costed plan that it intends to implement.

He said the government's achievements so far are merely the foundation for the 1,000 proposals being put forward by Labour in its manifesto.