Muscat promises immediate IVF law implementation if elected to power

A Labour government would implement a law regulating IVF immediately if elected to power, leader Joseph Muscat said this morning.

Addressing the party faithful in Kalkara, Muscat said that the "bishops" within the "GonziPN administration" had hijacked the parliament's plan to approve the law. "We have a responsible law which awaits our approval. We have nothing against the Church who's duty is to practice its preaching, but in a modern society we do not expect a political party to be confessional," Muscat said.

Muscat said the IVF law would give couples the chance to have children. "But the more time passes, the more we are making it impossible for certain couples to become parents.

"How can we remain silent when faced by such injustice? If elected, we would implement the law immediately," he said.

In comments to MaltaToday last month, family minister Chris Said said "the draft law has been finalised "and will be shortly discussed in the cabinet before being submitted to parliament."

He also revealed that the new law will seek to avoid the destruction of embryos, and freezing will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances.

Speaking on the justice and home affairs motion currently being discussed in parliament, Muscat hit out at government MP Edwin Vassallo, calling him "bishop Vassallo".

In an impassioned speech last Friday, Vassallo described the motion as "immoral and a case of moral political violence." He had also said that the motion amounted to psychological violence aimed at destroying minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and his family.

"In his opposition of divorce last year, bishop Vassallo had tried to scare us with the family breakdowns the divorce legislation would bring. This week, bishop Vassallo cited morality issues and accused of us trying to destroy the minister's family," Muscat said.

"These accusations are targeted at undermining our political responsibility. Our motion has nothing to do with the minister or his family. The motion is based purely on the shortcomings of the ministry. Vassallo should remember that personal attacks are the ones suffered by [former prime minister] Alfred Sant and [EU commissioner] John Dalli."

Supported by much applause, Muscat said that "bishop Vassallo" should remember the families who were not destroyed by divorce, but which fell apart because they couldn't have children, or because they couldn't keep up with the cost of living reduced to poverty, or the families of the former bus drivers, of workers at Air Malta, Selmun Hotel and Enemalta.

Muscat's address was preceded by short speeches by candidate for the general elections Conrad Mizzi and Labour MPs Michael Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia.

A short address - mostly a message of support to Muscat for his youth guarantee plan - was made by UK Labour MEP Peter Skinner.

Skinner likened Muscat to former UK prime minister Tony Blair and said that even Blair had faced opposition because of his age. "Tony Blair looked young and many thought he was not ready to be in power. Of course, these comments were made by those who were already in power and were afraid of losing it," Skinner said.

On the youth guarantee, Skinner told Muscat that "the kind of change you're guaranteeing forms part of a wind of change in Europe. I expect Malta to be part of that and I expect the people of Malta to welcome that".

"The youth guarantee which you have put forward is an excellent idea," Skinner told Muscat, adding that the socialist movements across Europe could achieve more because their common endeavours.

Skinner also referred to the motions calling for the resignation of Carm Mifsud Bonnici and Richard Cachia Caruana.

"I will not delve in the issue, but in the UK, when you have a vote of censure, usually the next step is to step down ... and that happens quite quickly in my country," he said.

"Governments are built on integrity and honesty and that is what needs to return to Europe."