What conscience? I do not think that these MPs truly understand the meaning of the word conscience. They do not even understand the difference between a vote on government business and a conscience vote on a private member’s bill on moral issues.

Archbishop Gonzi must be spinning in his grave!

A consultative referendum cannot be compared to a General Election. It has nothing to do with governing.

[Daphne – “It is nothing to do with governing”: take a break. You need it.]

Did these MPs really give these reasons for voting NO? How the standard of MPs has gone down. They should be inspired by what Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami has said in The Sunday Times. What a difference!

[Daphne – God forbid… to use your preferred choice of judge. Because then we would really be in a mess.]

Where was JPO?

Kenneth, I see you do not take NO for an answer.

I am expressing my opinion, based on the bigger picture as I see it (I may tell you later about it).

So tell me, what, according to you, would be the IMMEDIATE effect on the PN government if Gonzi did not give a free vote but imposed a Yes vote instead?

Let me tell you what I think (just a few quick ones).

1. Joseph Muscat will come out claiming that the Prime Minister has made a U turn of divine proportions; He will accuse the PM as “bla kuxjenza” or “kuxjenza tal-konvenjenza”; Joseph will also claim a major personal victory and will claim that since the Yes have a clear majority in Parliament, then he is the Prime Minister. He and his new cabinet will therefore pocket the salary increase approved by former PM Gonzi.

2. Austin Gatt will have no option but to resign. That is what he said in February. He will spend the rest of his life selling Arriva bus tickets to tourists at twice the price for locals.

3. The Minister of Finance, who saw the Lady of the Dollars (Madonna tad-Duluri) in tears, will have no other option but to resign like Dr. Gatt. He will spend the rest of his life at Borg-in-Nadur, with Angelik.

4. The Deputy Prime Minister Tonio Borg will set up his own “Yes to divorce? I wouldn’t say so!” party in parliament. He will be joined at once by Adrian Vassallo.

5. The Minister of Gozo will claim that since her constituency voted “no” she cannot vote “yes” and will set up her separate party. She will declare herself the PM of Gozo.

6. The Bishop of Gozo will set up the Gozo Independence Confessional Party and will publish a secret report commissioned by the Gozo Diocese which shows that a tunnel between Malta and Gozo is not feasible.

7. The conservative faction in the PN will resign en bloc from all the structures of the PN. There will be no one left at the Dar Centrali except for JPO, who will vote Yes even if the Party issued instructions to vote No, and the PM.

Hekk qal Eddie llum.

So according to you, it is only the followers of Christ who have a conscience.

I am sure you read about the Nazi trials. Most of the accused defended their actions by saying “I obeyed orders”and their conscience guided them not to question orders.

Yes psycopaths have a conscience but a dirty one.