Last Saturday, the Malta Labour Party overwhelmingly voted in favour of the ratification of the European Constitution, albeit with reservations. In essence, however, the MLP is in line with the government on this issue, which will start being debated in Parliament tomorrow.

The long debate by the MLP was not without hitches. The party had to face positions of dissent, largely put forward by former Prime Minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici through the Campaign for National Independence. The Front Maltin Inqumu and the newly set up Moviment Laburista Popolari also created waves.

In the run-up to last weekend’s extraordinary general conference, top Labour officials indicated several times that the European Constitution issue should be discussed and decided so that the party could move on to other, more important, matters.

But now, knowing the result of the vote that was held last Saturday, is the MLP happy with the outcome, considering that 14.4 per cent of its delegates, or one out of seven, voted against the official party line?

Normally, in Malta, party conferences where votes are taken end up with unanimous, or near-unanimous decisions. This time around, a good chunk of Labour delegates opted to vote against the proposal submitted by the party leadership.

There are various interpretations of this result. Labour will say that it was an exercise in democracy. The party allowed delegates with a position diametrically opposed to the one it was presenting to speak up, air their views, and try to convince the conference that their option was the best one.

The incidents in the latter part of the Friday session – with Dr Mifsud Bonnici verbally attacked by a handful of delegates and a section of the media also unable to continue working – did not help the party cause, because many saw visions of events of the past. However, the prompt intervention of top party officials soon calmed the situation down and the conference proceeded without further problems.

To go back to the 14.4 per cent who voted in favour of Dr Mifsud Bonnici’s motion, the MLP must not dismiss this as an insignificant number. Again, Labour will say that this result shows what an open party the MLP is. Yet, on the other hand, the fact that such a minority exists should put the MLP on alert.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici has already pledged, in yesterday’s l-orizzont, that he will continue working to see that the European Constitution will not come into effect in Malta. Will the 14.4 per cent of Labour delegates continue to follow him, even now that a decision has been taken for the MLP to ratify the Constitution?

Will Dr Mifsud Bonnici move on from the European Constitution to tackle other areas where he feels he is not in line with the party leadership? Will these delegates follow him there too? Or will they get “back on track”?

It remains to be seen. What is sure is that Labour must not underestimate last Saturday’s result. An 85.6 vote in favour of the party line is an overwhelming win, yet that 14.4 per cent will be playing a big role in the months and years to come. They have shown that they are capable of going against the tide.

By voting in favour of ratification, Labour has shown that it has cut the last strings that tied it to the past on the EU issue. The MLP lost a referendum and an election on this issue, and could not remain being seen as anti-EU.

The decision has now been taken. Labour must move forward to concentrate on more important issues and must remain focused on reaching its target – that of winning the next election. But it must not forget the 118 delegates who took a different stand last Saturday.