The government had always been consistent on the working time directive opt-out clause, and remains so – in fact it has already objected in the EU Council of Ministers to the European Parliament’s decision to do away with it.

In a statement issued by the Department of Information in reaction to comments made by opposition leader Alfred Sant on Sunday, the government pointed out that it was the Party of European Socialists and the European Greens who were working to abolish the clause which leaves it up to employees whether they want to work in excess of 48 hours a week.

The fact that the European socialists and the greens are trying to scrap the right to work more than 48 hours is proof that the right existed in the first place, the statement said, making the point that this proves the nationalist government’s honesty on the matter.

Dr Sant accused the Nationalist Party of lying on this matter before the last election, adding that now they were facing the consequences.

The government had always been consistent on the point and it remains so. It is the socialists and the greens who want to deprive workers of this right, said the statement.

The Labour Party should have been honest with the Maltese people before the referendum on EU accession and explained that workers’ right to work more than 48 hours a week could be in jeopardy because it would be joining the rest of the socialists and the greens in the EP to remove this right.

The government will remain steadfast in its position that workers should not be denied this right. The Labour Party should support the government and should not allow its MEPs to be accomplices to the PES and the Greens, the statement concluded..