Around 120 of the 900 delegates who are expected to vote for the leadership have signed the petition, which calls for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to discuss a motion to permit paid-up MLP members to vote for the next MLP leader along with the delegates.

This is more than the 10 per cent required by the party statute to force an EGM. Interestingly, the Sunday Times says, the extraordinary meeting might coincide with the conclusion of the report that was commissioned to analyse Labour's third successive electoral defeat last month.

The idea to broaden the voter base beyond the delegates was first mooted publicly by George Abela, before he announced he was standing for the leadership. However, according to the Sunday Times report, there had already been a movement within the party lobbying for such a change. One of the main activists behind the petition, Marlene Pullicino, told the Sunday Times that the initiative was not connected with Dr Abela's bid, even though she made no secret of her support for the former deputy leader.

"I think that Dr Abela is the man who is able to build the bridge with the critical mass of voters who, so far, have never felt they could vote Labour for some reason or other. That doesn't affect the reason why we should have this change," she said.

"I believe that all the candidates who have put their name to the race so far are valid individuals with very good qualities. I think that whoever is chosen will be in a stronger position if chosen through an election that takes into account the opinion Labour's wider membership. It will also kill all this talk of cliques," she told the Sunday Times.

The petition will be presented tomorrow or Tuesday to the party's national executive which will then consider the request and act accordingly. The motion should then be discussed at an EGM before the June 5 leadership election and voted upon by the delegates.

The proposal was discussed by the executive when the leadership election dates were decided on March 18, but received a lukewarm reception says The Sunday Times.

Labour insiders had told The Sunday Times that the biggest hurdles to implement the change at this point in time were of a logistical nature, particularly as the party knew that a number of its members were also simultaneously members of the Nationalist Party.

Meanwhile, Dr Joseph Muscat, who is one of the leadership contenders, yesterday launched a 40-point plan proposing a number of changes within the party and its structures to create what he called a “new political era for the country”.

The proposals include a re-organisation of the party and its finances as well as fostering and embracing new ideas. Dr Muscat said the party needed to render itself more responsive to current and future needs while becoming more open to moderate and progressive elements in Malta.