It’s scary, isn’t it? Labour has the scent of power and it is already misbehaving. True, the signs are subtle but they are there all the same. Taking to the streets, mass demonstrations, are the only way Labour believes it can increase its strength. Sensing that the government is feeling under fire from all quarters, it is trying to pounce, trying to create more discontent – rabble-rousing in my view.

The scenes at a meeting in Marsascala just about say it all about staunch Labour voters and, sadly, also about the so-called new green way. I was staggered at the irony of watching a green called Harry Vassallo shouting against a recycling plant, or the upgrading of one that already exists!

Staunch Labour voters will apparently shout when they are told to, protest when they are told to, and be as meek as lambs when they are told to accept things, too. Is this the kind of thinking middle class that Labour claims it has

created?

No wonder Labour leaders always have this funny relationship with power. They get the sort of buzz from the absolute control of their core supporters that no other party leader can enjoy. Certainly PN leaders don’t have that – and thank God for it.

Let’s recap the Marsascala saga first.

Labour MPs, Labour councillors and, of course, AD are up in arms about it. So minister George Pullicino goes along to try and explain. Essentially, he was not allowed to. You could tell even from the news reports after that the media were not clear, either. Basically it was a group that did not want to listen.

And, sadly, that group included Joseph Muscat who Labour voters elected to Europe, and the old deputy leaders of the MLP, Joe Brincat and George Vella, who reminded me of the 1980s when many people were actually very scared of these people and what they represented.

You had to watch Bondiplus (and not the news!) to understand what was really on offer from the government. It’s basically this. The plant is going to be upgraded and improved. The minister has agreed to a limit on the amount of waste to be treated there. And that’s it really. Nothing to get hysterical or angry about at all.

And, to give credit where it is due, (can we see some of this from pro-Labour and pro-AD writers too?) it was the Labour government of 1996-98 that really took the first steps which improved the situation there, and for that, many Labour people, including George Vella, should be given credit. The stench beforehand was apparently appalling and now it is far, far

better, but can still be improved.

And let’s be practical. This plant is on our PM’s doorstep. Most people who have become cynical about politicians in this country would expect it to be moved for that reason! But, no, it’s not going to be moved but upgraded, including being covered, which should make things better all round.

I’m pretty sure the Environment Minister is not going to do

something to make the PM’s

environment worse, now is he?

And yet what did Harry stand up and say (and I paraphrase): “This plant is not going to happen here, in this way, not ever!”

He got screams of delight from the Labour crowd. Yet when he was questioned closely on Bondiplus by the good-looking blonde (who is thankfully now doing the questions and answers live – thanks for listening) his only gripe was that he hasn’t been consulted.

Can we please recall how many votes this man got in the last election? How many seats he has in Parliament? If he does, as he claims he will, have a huge victory next time, he will get more exposure, but no democratically-elected government is bound to ask another political party for its approval all the time.

And especially not now that AD are behaving so badly. Obviously the reds are delighted to have Harry on board. He’s doing all the work for them with the middle classes to ensure that Alfred Sant will be the next PM.

It was the same regarding the terrible beating-up of illegal immigrants. What does the non-elected Arnold Cassola say? How he’s going to make sure he tells tales on us in Europe?

Are these people actually happy when things go wrong?

Do the Greens realise that they are Maltese too and part of the problem? Is ours the first or the last army which has members who have cracked under pressure? Remember all the gruesome pictures from Iraq of Americans humiliating Iraqis. They were

terrible, and they will go to prison for it – unlike all the monsters who are creating chaos in that country even as I write.

Let Labour get a little less excited about the possibility of power. And you know, because with the endless propaganda they hear, that Labour people think power to them is round the corner.

Thankfully the circulation of the English language press can give us all hope that the majority do not agree with the Labour massa.

But it’s pretty tight, and the battle of the minds will decide the next election. In the meantime look out for more frayed tempers and more and more arrogance from the reds and the greens...