Jaws dropped this morning at the Labour Party's General Conference as the former president of the Nationalist Party's College of Councillors, Ian Castaldi Paris announced that he was joining the Labour Party.The announcer said that the Council had a guest speaker and Ian Castaldi Paris emerged to a rapturous ovation.

The former Lija mayor  said that today, he was making a step that he had always believed in, but was did not have the courage to make in the past. He said that he felt that he was not being heard, but  Joseph Muscat "took off his Prime Minister's jacket and heard what I had to say".

"It is a beautiful thing to have a Prime Minister that can listen, guide you and offer your help. That is what Dr Muscat was like. A father-like figure who really has changed this country." He said that while the Prime Minister was a good listener, the Nationalist Party would use you and then throw you away. In his short speech, Dr Castaldi Paris said the Labour Party in government had taken the country forward. He mentioned the electoral slogan Malta taghna lkoll, and said that this movement had taken the country forward and he wanted to be part of that. 

Twitter went wild after the announcement that Dr Castaldi Paris had pledged his loyalty to the PM with tweets by another former PN man Robert Musumeci and the OPM's Glen Beddingfield.

Speaking after his address, Dr Castaldi Paris said that from now on it is "business as usual." 

He said he is ready to contribute to the Labour movement and will leave it up to the Prime Minister to decide on a role for him. 

Dr Castaldi Paris said he will convince people like him to join the Labour movement.