Labour executive approves statute change to prevent MPs from replacing Cardona

The Labour Party executive has approved a proposal to change the party’s statute to prevent MPs from occupying the post of deputy leader party affairs.

Labour leader Robert Abela is understood to have told MPs that he would like the post vacated by Chris Cardona to be filled by someone outside the parliamentary group.

The proposal to change the statute was approved unanimously by the executive, the PL said in a statement on Monday night.

Cardona was forced to resign last week after his name cropped up again in ongoing court proceedings linked to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

The PL statute had been amended in 2016 to allow MPs to contest the deputy leader party affairs post when Joseph Muscat had wanted Konrad Mizzi to occupy the role.

Prior to that, the person occupying the role could not be an MP and could not contest general elections.

The executive is meeting in Marsaxlokk.

If the statute is changed, it is very likely that current party president Daniel Micallef will be the only one to contest the post.

However, if the statute remains as is, a number of ministers will consider contesting the post.

Meanwhile, the party administration decided to publish Cardona’s resignation letter. In it, the former minister simply informed the executive secretary that he was resigning, giving no reason for the decision.