Labour amends statute to be in compliance with party financing law

The Labour Party has amended its statute to be in line with the law regulating the financing of political parties. The amendments, which were passed unanimously by Labour delegates at Labour's annual general conference, mean that Labour will finally be able to register as a political party with the Electoral Commission.

The Labour Party had applied to register as a political party in June 2016, but was asked by the Electoral Commission to clarify what would happen to the party's assets of the Labour Party were to be dissolved.

Addressing delegates at the Labour headquarters, PL president Daniel Micallef said that the Commission had never rejected Labour's application but had merely put it on hold pending the amendment to its statute.

He said that the Opposition only turned it into a political issue because it had got caught red-handed breaking the party financing law, referring to allegations that hotelier Silvio Debono had paid the salaries of senior PN officials. 

"Some people said that Labour doesn’t exist, but that was just wishful thinking of PN extremists," he said.