Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne warned Labourites on Sunday that the government must be 'whiter than white' as he addressed a Labour Party meeting in Cospicua with Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Fearne lost to Dr Abela in the Labour party leadership election just over a week ago.

He told the large crowd of supporters that he was and remained proud to be labourit, proud of the party and proud of the country.

Now, while the government continued to enjoy strong support, it had a golden opportunity to build on its success and correct what it did wrong, he said.

"We did a lot of good we need to be courageous enough to correct whatever we were mistaken in."

He said the government needed to be 'whiter than white' and come down strongly on anyone who tried to repeat the sort of mistakes which had brought the administration to the situation it was in a short time ago.

Mr Fearne said he was speaking about four sectors - governance, checks and balances, economic wealth for all the people and strengthening the party.

The government would work with business, he said, but it would not allow itself to be led by businessmen.