Not the general election…just maybe, hopefully, he has the gift of prophecy.

He, and all those around him had to brave the Labour ‘marmalja’ day in, day out. And they somehow got us out of it all with the minimum possible loss of life.

Thank you all. For that alone, I owe you my undying loyalty.

Here’s the antidote – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRNdLfBlFOU

After today’s vote at the Executive Committee, Jeffrey and Jesmond came out unbruised as they have been long saying – no real option here – that they will not contest next election.

Franco was – and it was amply clear in video footage that he was dealt a blow and no matter what he says the truth is this was a real punishment for him.

For all his boasting of kicking out Ninu and Louis this is surely a case of he who laughs last laughs best.

And to those who are arguing that this ban from standing for next election is a soft move, the only real alternative to this was the calling of an election. Which means a landslide victory for Labour. So no, thank you.

The list of new candidates is a silver lining. Professor Albert Fenech, Mark Anthony Sammut, Gejtu Vella and more. No skip material that’s a fact. Imagine adding Cyrus to the list.

So what’s lined up next? I hope the PN manages not to turn RCC’s hearing into a farce of grand proportions. Joseph is asking for a televised hearing; Jeffrey calls Joseph Mizzi as a witness; Jeffrey expects Gordon Pisani to inflict damage. The ex-ambassador and the party still have great dignity and this must be preserved.

Whenever a survey is published showing a 10% or more lead to Labour everyone I meet stares in disbelief. This is not wishful thinking but the swings from PN to Labour are hard to stomach.

It’s like respondents are claiming support for Labour in the hope PN fixes the mess quickly and sooner rather than later.

It’s like the message is that the PN should lead the nation for the next five years but not in this mess and surely by guaranteeing this will not happen and be tolerated again.

I spent my living memory under a PN government, being just seven in 1987. Except for two years when Sant was in government turned my fist year university stipend to a loan. Not much to remember there!

I owe my success to myself and to my family – but I would not have had the opportunity to succeed if it not were for the PN in government – for making university accessible to all, for believing in financial services as a real reputable alternative industry to cheap labour textile factories, for joining the EU and joining the Eurozone.

Describing the last five years as out of the ordinary is an understatement. Yet we managed to overcome – not out of luck but because of vision and a clear path to succeed.

Ex-Super 1 journalists surrounded by ex-1980s cabinet ministers can never ever have this foresight and ability to succeed. No matter how hard they try. No matter their good intentions. Their best is not enough.

What’s lined up next?

Hope. That the leaf will turn around and sooner rather than later good sense will prevail again.

PN strategists, please take note. This is what the floating voters need to be flooded with.

I really cannot even begin to explain the anxiety attack it stirs up in me.

It brings to mind long forgotten images of masses of Mintoffjani thronging past City Gate down Republic Street to St. George`s Square, waving red Labour Party flags and banners and microphones blasting out this truly horrible anthem and the Internationale and the other ditty `Ma taghmlu xejn`.

The speeches that followed by the Labour leaders were invariably peppered with threats and intimidatory challenges thrown in the direction of the Nationalist Opposition.

The closest I can compare them to are the images we remember recently of Gaddafi’s ferocious rants at Bab al-Aziza.