Allahares-jitla-l-Lejber names the Big Day
Joseph Muscat – leader of the Labour Party and prime minister of Malta.
The Labour Party will be holding its extraordinary general conference, for the election of its new leader, on 5 June. We didn’t find this out through the Labour Party’s own extensive media – television, newspapers and radio – or through the good offices of Miss Miriam Dalli, head of news at Super One, but through the Nationalist Party’s media and The Times.
Meanwhile, the names that are being bandied about show that the Labour Party is determined to ram yet more nails into its coffin, and that it hasn’t understood why it remains unpalatable to all those thousands who usually vote PN but this time preferred to vote for no one at all rather than vote for Allahares-jitla-l-Lejber.
The names are a fine mix of blasts-from-the-murky-past and complete non-starters like that twerp Joseph Muscat, who together with Jason Micallef makes a matching pair of book-ends – the one with brains, the one without, but otherwise identical. Joseph Muscat was and is Sant’s poodle, so much so that he married Sant’s personal assistant Michelle, a charming lady by all accounts but the kind who personally assisted Alfred Sant in his many trials and tribulations with The Media.
Joseph Muscat wrote one of those books fis-Sensiela Kotba Socjalisti which gave vent to his boss’s sick obsession with corruption under every bed and carpet. He included a whole list of Maltese people that Sant thought were associated with the government or the Nationalist Party in a many-tentacled monster that involved the Italian P2 and Mafia, the Freemasons, the Brigate Rosse and even John F. Kennedy (I couldn’t work out that one, either). Most of these people sued Muscat or the newspapers that reproduced the allegations, or came to an agreement out of court. I chose to sue both Muscat and the Labour Party, and won more than a thousand pounds off them. Muscat sent a cheque right away, because by then he was an MEP and had the spare cash. But I had to chase Jason Micallef for weeks to get my money, and only got it when I threatened to send in the bailiffs for Sant’s desk, computer and bookshelves.
Muscat is a protégée of Mario Vella tal-MDC – remember him? – and still regards him as his mentor. That’s why his comments about politics and the economy invariably have this Mario-Vellaesque streak about them.
Though Muscat is rabidly ambitious, I somehow don’t think that his rabid ambition encompasses a dull life of Maltese party politics, putting up with the slings and arrows of being an MP in this parliament or even a party leader – though he will take it up if he thinks he has a cast-iron guarantee of becoming prime minister in 2013. The boy from Burmarrad (nothing wrong there, but you get my drift) is living what he thinks is the high life in Brussels, and will probably move ahead only if he thinks there’s plenty in it for him outside the limited Maltese context. If he moves on at all, I suspect that it will be to a job in the European Commission, even though he fought so hard against EU membership, or with an international corporation.
Oh, and he was one of those who, like his boss, decided that partnership had won the referendum. How credible is that? Yap-yap.
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I think that Labour’s best hope would be George Abela as leader. If they insist on having 2 deputies then it should be an experienced moderate like Karmenu Vella and also Gavin Gulia who is one of their better elements and bafflingly lost out to the waste of space il-Profs in the election.
A few years back I used to hate the sight of Joseph Muscat but I do think he has matured since he has become an MEP, so credit to him for that. Whether he is ready for leader is another matter but I think I’d rather see him lead the MLP than Michael Falzon, Anglu Farrugia or Evarist.
Given that Dr Muscat seems to be such a hot poodle, I sincerely hope that if he contests for the post of MLP leader, he is elected with flying colours.
Daphne,
I’m a big fan, but please drop these silly photos; they really don’t add any value and remind me of 14 year old childrens’ websites or diaries.
Bootroom: The question is not whether Muscat – or anyone else, for that matter – is ready to be leader, but whether Malta is ready for them as PM. Muscat would make a poor choice of leader if his primary qualification is not being someone else.
Give the poor dog a chance.
Karmenu Vella for deputy. Yes of course and definitely minister of finance and inland revenue!!!!!!
What the heck????????
Daphne, I’m not sure if I agree with you on this one. As you argued in a previous blog, the 100-million-dollar (or should it be Euro?) question is: “Will George Abela be electable as a PM at the age of 60?”
I think that Dr. Muscat is the best of the lot. Regarding his age, he may be a bit young, but in 5 years time, if he does a decent job as a leader of the opposition, he might have enough experience under his belt. After all, Dr. Gonzi was formidable as a PM just after 6 years as an MP.
One other thing, Holland may be right but otherwise keep your blogs coming!
I don’t really care who gets elected. I will still vote PN no matter what happens.
They need more than just changing their leader, they need to change their image aswell. They have to change the name of their Party, the anthem and their emblem.
Those three things remaind me of the 70s and 80s. I live in the south, and I know what Labour stands for……. Violence, Victimization and Terror.
Why has no-one mentioned Silvio Parnis for leader? I’m sure he will have the support of young women (with those looks…) and old poeple (M’intix Wahdek, or what the hell is his program named) – not to say of all those Tarxien mothers he gave a rose to on election eve…
@ SB and Bootroom – don’t allow yourself to be conditioned into accepting Joseph Muscat as the best of a bad lot. The Labour Party should be looking outside such narrow confines or ‘thinking outside the box’. Who would have pinpointed Eddie Fenech Adami as a charismatic leader in 1976, or Lawrence Gonzi in 2004?
Joseph Muscat’s biggest problem is that he is Sant’s poodle. His secondest biggest problem is that he fought against EU membership and alongside Sant, insisted that partnership had won the referendum. That doesn’t make for credibility.
@ Holland – who said that this isn’t a 14-year-old’s website?!
I wish them they would re-elect AS again.. They would stay in the opp for another 25 years..
Gonzi was in line for leader since 1998 so it was never a surprise if you ask me Daphne.
I agree that Joseph has done silly things in the past but he is still young and was a bit of an idiot back then. In my opinion he was young enough to change later on in life. I still think that George Abela is their best solution. At 60 he can serve for 10yrs e.g. 5yrs in opposition and possibly 5yrs in government and then hand over to someone else.
What I cannot understand is the blinkered logic that some people are using in here. Do we want the MLP to remain stuck in the Stone Age as a political party or do we want a party that is decent enough not to rock the boat if it is ever elected?
@ Bootroom – I want a Labour Party that’s safe.
Bootroom – A party that is ‘decent enough’ is not good enough. A party that does not rock the boat might as well sink. A political party is not a game. It is a government in waiting. It needs to be competent enough to steer the ship of state, not scuttle it.
Of course that is what I meant. Out of curiosity who do you two wish to see as MLP leader?
@ Bootroom – I think George Abela is the only one of the publicised options who can swing it.
Bootroom: What do you mean when you say ‘that is what I meant’?
Ivan, I know EXACTLY what you mean. I can still feel a shiver of terror down my spine everytime I hear Mary Spiteri screech their Innu. Mamma mia!!!
To feel the power of the MLP, one has to be a nationalist living in the second district, their Fortizza.
By decent I meant capable. Decent chap i.e. nice chap.
Daphne I agree re George Abela. He is the type of character needed to restore some sensibility within the MLP. Even assuming that Joseph Muscat will want to change things for the better I think it is still to soon for him to totally disassociate himself from some of the people within the current MLP administration. Any non-publicised options who you rate? Besides Eddy Privitera that is hehe
unfortunately not every capable man will turn out to be a good politician and histry shows some of the least capable were great politicians … take ronald reagan! he restored pride to usa. so it’s really all about the man and the people behind him that is what makes it all more difficult for MLP. ask Gonzi he did a great job but he had some great minds behind him … don’t smile saliba we know it wasn’t you :)
I wonder if we could hold an online poll here, wherin we vote who we think would be the next leader?
Keeping in mind that anybody who receives a vote here would have no chance of ever becoming leader(la fahruh fuq ta’ Daphne ghandu xi haga hazina zgur) I’ll start the ball rolling by voting for Anglu as Leader. :D
Someone asked for MLP leader suggestions.
OK…here’s my (very) Short real list. Based on criteria such as openness to EU, no history of thuggery associations, general electability, potential capabilty etc.,:
1. Gavin Gulia
2. Chris Cardona
3. Luciano Busutil
NOW! I emphasise, the following is my joke List. This can run into dozens, but for fairness’ sake I’ll stick to three, guaranteed to make MLP even smaller than AD:
1. Sandro Schembri Adami
2. Jason Micallef
3. Rita Law
oh what the hell….have another one, there are so many 4. Silvio Parnis.
Cheers folks….I do believe we have a winner if blinkers are removed :)
From the known list of contenders, GA is the best solution, not just for MLP but more so for the country. There’s something that tells me I’ll be less apprehensive if Labour ever get to power under his helm.
Muscat is a Sant’s poodle and proof of that will be seen if he gets the leadership. A S said that he’ll decide on whether to stick to his parliamentary seat or not depending on who’s leader. A S staying on will be one such proof (salve his unfortunate health situation)- but then it would be too late.
In case memory serves some people short, one only has to remember the way he used to read the news on Super One and the type of ‘discussion’ programmes he used to produce on that same station to realise what kind of ‘lijderxipp’ we will all have.
I do hope he decides to give priority to his 5-month twins because with him at the top I don’t see much good coming out it. And for us here that are saying that he has ‘matured’ after his spell in the EU (oh yes, he was so against the whole affair now wasn’t he?) just shows that his starting point was zilch, or even less. Compare him to Simon Busuttil and immediately realise the huge difference between the two parties, in all aspects.
@Guzeppi: Yes, I think Luciano Busuttil will make a good leader. However, when it comes to political experience, he is surely less “mature” than Muscat.
@Chilly: I don’t think that’s what AS said. If I’m not mistaken he said that he will decide after discussions with the new leader. And my gut feeling is that if muscat is elected, AS will resign to make space for him in Parliament.
I still believe that Muscat is the best option (together with GA but there is not much that I know about him…was he in the MLP in the 80s?) and I think that as a leader he won’t need to be anyone’s poodle!!!
[Moderator – Wasn’t KMB someone’s poodle?]