MLP deputy leader Michael Falzon yesterday claimed he was the “target” of the electoral defeat report which yesterday made public on the Labour party’s website.
“I have no doubt I am the ultimate target of the report,” he said referring to the inquiry commission’s severe criticism of the way Labour’s electoral office, formerly under the stewardship of Falzon, operated.
Falzon absconded himself of having had any role in the operations of the electoral office since assuming the role of deputy leader for party affairs five years ago.
Falzon also claimed the report was “not reflective of the truth”.
“The report includes things that are totally, totally unlike what I said or what the commission has recorded, and unlike the documents I presented to the same commission to substantiate what I said.
“When I read the first draft of the report, I phoned three members of the commission to tell them their analysis did not reflect the truth, and I immediately reserved the right I would make my reactions public on those parts of the analysis that are not reflective of the truth,” Falzon said.
The greatest criticism in his regard concerns the extension of voting time by one hour on election day, without consulting leader Alfred Sant and Charles Mangion. Labour secretary-general Jason Micallef had named Falzon and MLP electoral office chief Louis Gatt as the men behind the decision, while PN secretary-general Joe Saliba had also confirmed the request for the one-hour extension came from Labour. Falzon yesterday said the decision was the Electoral Commission’s, and not his. “There was nothing to consult about when this was a fait accompli. The Electoral Commission informed us of that decision, and then everyone else in the electoral process was informed. It was not my decision.”