Not many may have noticed as yet, but the first signals of frustration have emerged amongst delegates in the Labour camp just over a month from the historic landslide victory of June 3rd.
The election for Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader for Parliamentary Affairs shed light on the way the Labour party core is feeling.
While overwhelmingly confirming Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as leader, the same delegates rejected his favourite contender for Deputy.
Joseph Muscat never minced his intentions as to who he preferred to be Louis Grech’s replacement. He opted for the same model, a senior technocrat. Why would he change something that worked?
Edward Scicluna had just projected a surplus in the country’s finances and he hardly offered any resistance to the OPM clan, totally unfazed by the effect of the Panama Papers on the financial services sector.
Muscat took no risk. In case his veteran MP didn’t make it, he made sure to support Equality Minister Helena Dalli who hails from a Mintoffian background but has been very successful in reinventing herself as the civil liberties champion.
The GWU media was roped in to give her full support for the candidature but the delegates rejected that too.
Health Minister Chris Fearne managed to lure support from Labour’s grass roots, a clear protest vote against the Prime Minister’s close aide and Chief of Staff Keith Schembri.
Fearne has publicly defied Schembri’s and Konrad Mizzi’s efforts to control the health ministry when he sacked political appointee Neville Gafa from the Ministry moments after he took over from Konrad Mizzi.
Gafa, who is very close to Keith Schembri is embroiled in the medical visas scandal which broke last year.
Minister Fearne has managed cultivate support across the political divide and the PL delegates felt that he could be a possible contender to replace Joseph Muscat when the time comes for him to call it a day as promised after last month’s general election.
Though in a somewhat restrained manner, the PL delegates seemed to want to send the message that the party is still theirs and they will not be taken for a ride again just like that time when Muscat pushed Konrad Mizzi to become deputy only to see him leave the post a few weeks later.
The PL delegates know only too well that the post of Deputy Prime Minister requires constant contact with the OPM. With their vote they have entrusted Chris Fearne, whom in the eyes of many is seen as not only moderate and competent but shrewd and honest, to watch over what goes on in the Prime Minister’s Office.
They are testing him for the bigger role once the PM’s seat becomes vacant.
However, it will not be an easy job for the newly elected deputy Prime Minister particularly because Joseph Muscat managed to wipe out any dissident voice within the new Parliamentary Group.
A perfect example of this lies in the Prime Minister’s declaration that no one from his group asked for a free vote in the Marriage Equality Bill. No one dares to defy the mighty Prime Minister in the Labour parliamentary group but the delegates have just given a strong and significant signal.
This poses more pressure on Chris Fearne as he now needs to represent the delegates’ concerns in cabinet while tending to his demanding ministry and fill in Louis Grech’s role. Not an easy job.
Good luck Mr Fearne.