Muscat: Labour will keep Budget's good points, but vote against it

Labour leader Joseph Muscat said this morning that Labour would vote against the Budget, but should the Budget be rejected, a Labour government would still retain its framework and its positive aspects in order to reassure investors and families. Speaking at a political conference in Ta' Xbiex, Dr Muscat said it was worrying that the country could start the new year without having an approved Budget. Such uncertainty was hugely detrimental to the country and investors. The government was not saying what it would do to ease this uncertainty. It had not even announced the Budget date. That the government was doing nothing was irresponsible.  The government was putting the interests of its clique before the national interest. The prime minister had said that the Budget was a vote of confidence. Therefore the Opposition could not vote in favour of the Budget because it had no confidence in the government. If the Budget was defeated, a new government, whichever it was, would need to present a new Budget. He did not know what GonziPN would do. Nor was he really interested, Dr Muscat said.  However, while the PN was focused on its internal battles, the PL had focused on the country's...