A new movement that aims to attract Labour Party supporters will be launched soon with a pledge to stick up for workers and serve "disillusioned" Labourites.
Sporting the Malta Labour Party's initials - MLP, the Moviment Laburista Popolari (Popular Labour Movement) was the subject of a surprise announcement made during the Sette Giugno ceremony in Valletta by lawyer Anna Mallia, yesterday.
A one-time delegate to the MLP's general conference, Dr Mallia has on a number of occasions publicly criticised the party, the decisions it made and the way it is run. Dr Mallia is a member of the anti-EU membership group Front Maltin Inqumu.
"Today I cannot go beyond what's written in the statement that has been handed out. I can only tell you we mean business," Dr Mallia told journalists, after handing out a press release to explain the reasons for the setting up of the new organisation.
She was among the few who laid wreaths at the foot of the Sette Giugno monument in Valletta, walking past MLP leader Alfred Sant who gave her but a fleeting glimpse.
She was sitting next to former Foreign Affairs Minister Alex Sceberras Trigona and former Labour MP Maria Camilleri, both of whom have had their fair share of differences with the MLP leadership and are known to be politically close to former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff.
It is not yet known who is steering the movement or how many members it has. When asked Dr Mallia would only say "wait and see". She would not say either whether the movement aspired to contest the general election. A detailed programme will be announced shortly, she declared.
In its statement, the Popular Labour Movement appealed to the public, but especially to Labourites, to rally behind it in order to come out with the solutions the country needs.
It said the "MLP" was being set up because the rights and aspirations of many people, in particular Labourites, were being vilified and used to serve the interest of certain cliques.
The movement wants to see the standard of living of workers and those in need improved in every legitimate way, irrespective of who is in government.
"The aim of the MLP is to spread and carry out the beliefs and understandings of the Maltese with labour beliefs, for the benefit of all."
The movement plans to drum up support where social, civic, economic and political issues are concerned, especially if they are perceived as being a threat to workers.
It said the economic and social area was currently under threat by various socio-economic operators and from every political party - and such forces require "sufficient resistance".
The MLP accused the Labour Party of being an accomplice in the Nationalist government's decision to ratify the European Constitution which the movement claimed would breach Malta's Constitution.
The movement chose to make itself known during the Sette Giugno feast because it believed the Maltese were going through similar hardships as those experienced in 1919.
When contacted for his reaction, MLP general secretary Jason Micallef did not mince his words. "Dr Mallia does not seem to find any shelter anywhere. She is a reject. What's this new movement's statute? How many people does it represent? No, it's absolutely no threat," Mr Micallef said.
Asked whether he believed that disgruntled Labourites might be coerced to switch allegiance to the Moviment Laburista Popolari, Mr Micallef charged back: "She doesn't worry us; she doesn't interest us and she doesn't affect us. I really can't see Dr Mallia making any impact. This was the joke of Sette Giugno".
Mr Micallef questioned the credibility of Dr Mallia who, he said, had initially fought against EU membership and then proceeded to apply for a job with the same Union.
The Labour Party was on a successful trail - after winning three successive elections - and was now looking forward to the general conference, he said.
The conference will debate the EU constitutional treaty and examine a party document intentioned to encourage economic growth. After summer, the party will start drawing up its electoral manifesto, Mr Micallef said.
The Moviment Laburista Popolari is the second grouping of former party supporters to be seen as being at loggerheads with the Labour Party.
The Campaign for National Independence, steered by former Socialist Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, is putting pressure on Labour Party delegates to vote against the ratification of the European Constitution, in stark contrast with the advice of the Labour parliamentary group.