“A few minutes after the sorting of the referendum votes, with the first figures in hand, I turned to my trusted colleagues at the counting hall and told them that in my opinion, if an election is to be held in the coming weeks, the PN will be voted to power, adding 3,000 votes to the referendum result. And unfortunately it was so,” Labour deputy leader Michael Falzon revealed on Friday.

Dr Falzon was being interviewed by Paul Cachia on di-ve news.

This revelation sheds new light on internal party discussions after the result of the referendum. When the votes were still being counted at Ta’ Qali Dr Sant went there and claimed that the anti-EU membership votes had ‘won’. This led many party supporters to believe that the party would win the next election, which it then lost.

Dr Falzon was described as riding on the crest of a wave at the moment, following his party’s two consecutive victories at the polls. While optimistic that the European elections and the last round of local councils returned the Labour camp to victory, the Sliema-born lawyer is hoping that the victory wave will land them the general election too.

“The March local elections indicated a strong swing in favour of the Labour Party but we are not saying that we are going to gather 53 per cent of the vote in the next general elections,” he said.

“However we are not reading too deeply in the results if interpretations are based on a national level,” Dr Falzon added. Often considered as a master tactician, Dr Falzon is well aware that in politics even a day is too long, let alone three years.

“There are still two or three years at most till the next general election and the people can still shift their support,” he added.

“Government can spend its last days at the helm sprinkling sweeteners over the potentially disaffected masses. For this reason, we are not going to be complacent,” he remarked.

“I am not one who believes that it is enough for the Labour Party to be an alternative government. We have to be a better government.”

Mr Cachia said that before the next general election, the Labour Party has to overcome yet another hurdle... the party’s stand on the EU Constitutional Treaty. Critics believe that Labour’s stand is a double-edged sword.

The green light given by former deputy leaders Joe Brincat and Dr George Vella to accept the EU constitutional treaty is contrasted by Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici’s stance.

“It is not precise to say that the party is divided into two blocks. With all due respect for Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, he does not represent any section within the Labour Party he is putting forward the CNI’s position on the EU Constitution. I am not denying the fact that Dr Mifsud Bonnici was the Prime Minister of Malta and party leader, so his position on the issue will carry some weight on the discussion that is being held within the party. On the other hand, Dr. George Vella’s position must be taken seriously, he is very knowledgeable on the subject,” he explained.

Dr Falzon also announced he will be a candidate in the next general elction. On a personal level, Dr Falzon confessed that the most embarrassing political moment was prior to the 2003 general election when a Labour delegate stood up and shouted his name to be included in the party’s candidates’ list.

“Last time, I was very tempted to enter the election fray but it was not fair on my colleagues who had been working hard in the districts,” he explained.

But this time, Dr Falzon decided to take the plunge and put his name on the ballot paper. For the first time, Michael Falzon will not only be analysing the numerical workings of the electoral system but also be part of it.