Prime Minister Robert Abela will be taking legal action against the Nationalist Party media following a report alleging that the government will push forward its planning reform bill without amending it.

In a statement Saturday, the Labour Party  said the Labour Parliamentary Group categorically denies that during a meeting today, Prime Minister Robert Abela communicated a decision that the Government will continue with the planning reform without introducing amendments reflecting the outcome of the consultation process.

In fact, "what was reported is a lie," the PL said. The evaluation of the consultation process is still ongoing, with meetings having taken place as recently as this week.

As is the norm, every year on the Saturday before the Budget, the Parliamentary Group, together with the Cabinet, met to discuss the Budget which will be presented on Monday.

Prime Minister and Labour Leader Robert Abela will be taking legal action in connection with this lie published by the Nationalist media, the PL said.

In reply, the Nationalist Party said that in a state of panic this morning, after NET News and independent media published reports confirming leaks from within the Labour Party, Labour issued a statement which effectively confirms NET News' story that the Labour Parliamentary Group met.

The statement - which was evidently drafted in haste - denies claims that NET News never made, while confirming the story that both the Labour Parliamentary Group and Cabinet held meetings, without anywhere denying that the draft laws related to planning were discussed.

In his rush to contain the situation, knowing full well that members of his own Parliamentary Group are leaking information directly to NET News, Robert Abela declared that he will be taking legal action against NET News.

The PN challenges the Prime Minister to initiate these legal proceedings without delay and to request that the case be heard urgently, so that the public may know the full truth, the PN said.