‘The days of Big Brother are over’ – Labour MP

Labour MP Anthony Agius Decelis poured praise on the government, arguing that it has stuck to its principles of liberty and democracy.

“The days of Big Brother are over. The days when people tell you what food to eat, what toothpaste to use and what television to buy are are no more,” he said in his parliamentary adjournment.

He insisted that Labour doesn’t take decisions based solely on their public appeal, citing its support for divorce and LGBT+ rights as examples.

“The previous government didn’t recognize the right of people to re-marry, while LGBT people had waited for 20 years to enter a civil union with the people they loved,” he said. “No government should poke its nose into anyone’s bedroom. People should have a right to decide what sort of life they live, and that’s a form of power to the people.”

He expressed his pride at the manner in which other progressive countries have praised Malta’s civil rights legislation.

“We are no longer at the bottom of international rankings on LGBT rights, but at the top.  

“We must have the courage to stick with our convictions, even when they are only supported by a minority of the public, and then convince the majority otherwise”.

“We aren’t in politics to try and appease everyone, we have already showed that we are ready to take decisions that are initially unpopular.”