The Labour Party has criticised the PN's reaction to gay marriage, calling it a desperate attempt to save face with the LGBTIQ community after having spent many years in government turning their backs on problems that this community faced.

The PL also said that PN spokespersons are trying to create an issue and politicise the question of gay marriage.

Yesterday, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli revealed that her ministry is working on revisions to the marriage equality act, stating that while civil union awards homosexual couples the same rights as marriage under a different name, the government is working on "changing that". Dr Dalli's comments were made during an activity organised by NGO Drachma - a support group for LGBTIQ persons and for parents with LGBTIQ children. A member in the audience questioned if Malta would be introducing gay marriage, which is when Dr Dalli announced the news that the government is indeed working on this.

The PN had accused government of dragging its feet on the issue, and appealed to government not to turn this issue into a political football. "Neither should it always use the LGBT community each time it has its back against the wall on the Panama papers."

Today, MZPN and FOIPN said they are four-square behind Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil in his push to amend existing legislation to bring into force gay marriage. We note that this position is consistent with calls from the PN leader twelve months ago, and is a position which we back out of a true sense of responsibility and belief.

The PL statement read: "If Simon Busuttil's Opposition truly believed that gay marriage should be allowed, then they should never have abstained on the civil unions bill, which is on par with marriage." 

"The question surrounding civil rights for Simon Busuttil is only a matter of convenience, and he is not convinced that this is an indisputable fact."

The PL said that "the Opposition has no shame when turning the question which was posed to Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli, during a European conference organised by the parents of gay persons, into a partisan political lie."

"It would be good if the opposition finally sees the light of civil rights, after having spent years in the dark, and not attempt to turn what government has been speaking about from the beginning into a political football."