I think this is the real reason the Prime Minister has lost so much weight

In the last electoral race, he was up against Lawrence Gonzi, and so looked younger and fitter, which was a significant advantage.

Muscat will have suddenly realised that in the next electoral race, he will be up against somebody who, despite being five years or so his senior, actually looks younger and is certainly fitter.

There is no way his vanity is going to allow that. And of course, dealing with the consequences of being found out when Mossack Fonseca’s server was hacked – how could they have predicted that would happen? – provided the initial jolt he needed to shed the weight. But he doesn’t look slim and fit – he looks like my childhood Lilo with the air gone out. He looks, quite simply, unwell.