So what’s next for Toni Abela?

In his abusive and self-satisfied arrogance, Toni Abela took it for granted that he would be moving to Luxembourg and taking up a 250,000-euro-a-year position at the European Court of Auditors. Typically of his Labour Party, he regarded the hoops through which he first had to jump as mere formalities.

So what did he do? He gave up his law practice. That’s right – over the last few weeks since his nomination, he has transferred all his case-load to crony lawyers, most notably former Super One newscaster Veronique Dalli, who now runs Jose Herrera’s practice.

He has also lost his position as the Labour Party’s deputy leader for party affairs, having being replaced by Dr Korrott Mixtri. One assumes – though one can never be sure with that corrupt bunch – that he has also detached himself from the public teat and given up the plethora of government consultancies and retainers which he has acquired for himself since March 2013.

I am given to understand that the post of ambassador to Paris may well have quietly opened up or be opening up soon. With Norman Hamilton (and soon Phyllis Muscat) in London, Joe Cuschieri in Athens, Ray Azzopardi in Brussels, and Mark Micallef in Madrid, they might as well go the whole hog – and what a hog – and install Toni Abela in Paris.