It doesn’t pay foreign politicians to interfere in Maltese politics. Malta seems to somehow put some sort of jinx on foreign politicians who arrive at these shores. Ask Romano Prodi, who earlier this month came to Malta to celebrate the introduction of the euro. His government did not survive the end of last week. Britain’s Labour Minister, Alan Johnson, had a shorter fate. The day following his addressing the Malta Labour Party’s general conference and wishing the Labourites well in the next general election, he was subjected to media attention following revelations of a political scandal.

I am sure that MLP delegates failed to tell Mr Johnson that a Labour government had passed legislation that would effectively have him arrested and deported from Malta. Before I am accused of living in the past, I would like to point out that Dr Alfred Sant was in the Labour hierarchy at the time and that Labour MPs and candidates Joe Debono Grech, Joe Brincat, George Vella and Karmenu Vella voted in favour of this law in 1982. It is therefore very relevant that I should point out their record especially since they are still participating in politics and contesting the next election under the slogan of “a new beginning”.

The Nationalist Party in government ensured that politicians were free to come to Malta and express themselves and feel free to give their views on any political issue. They are also free to make gaffes.

It is no secret that the Malta Labour Party has tried to give the impression that it has modelled itself on Britain’s New Labour. I remember reading articles by admirers of Alfred Sant comparing him with Tony Blair. Comparisons are odious, even more so when one compares Tony Blair’s charisma with the lack thereof of Alfred Sant.

I am not in a position to state whether any invitations were ever made to any members of Tony Blair’s cabinet to attend the MLP’s previous general conferences; however, timing is all important in politics, and the MLP have made a dog’s dinner of it again.

To invite a British Labour Minister at this stage doesn’t make sense. Gordon Brown and his Party are undoubtedly unpopular in Britain. Since Tony Blair passed the torch to Gordon Brown, New Labour has been dogged with political scandals and controversies. Published polls show Alan Johnson’s party is the Party that will lose the next general election in the UK.

Therefore, for the Malta Labour Party to invite a British Minister at this stage in his political career, when he personally is in political and legal trouble and when his party is in rough waters, does not reflect the best on the invitees. This information is not just limited to the few experts of international politics, but may be viewed on local cable television, downloaded on the internet or read in British newspapers available from our local newsagents.

The Malta Labour Party’s attempt of obtaining an international endorsement has been a failure and totally ineffective. It was counter-productive and given the Nationalist Party valid arguments to advocate that the MLP should not be allowed anywhere near the seat of government.

The Malta Labour Party also invited Dave Quayle from Manchester, who was touted as the leader of the Socialist Group for the UK members in the Committee of Regions. However, very few people realise that the UK Socialist group is made up of 11 members, four of whom, including Mr Quayle, are full members. Therefore, in effect Mr Quayle coordinates just three other members within the Committee of Regions. The Maltese Socialist group is composed of six members, three of whom are full members. Therefore, with all due respect to Mr Quayle, according to Dr Alfred Sant’s calculations, Mr Quayle is a small fish, who can be gobbled up by the big fish in Europe.

Again Mr Quayle’s presence contradicts what Labour believed before the last general election. Labour stated that Malta would not have any effect in the EU because of our small numbers. Mr Quayle’s delegation’s voice almost matches in size that of the Maltese socialist delegation.

Therefore, the spin given to the foreign participation in Labour’s General Conference last weekend is devoid of any substance and should rather rank as a failure, and an embarrassment. But Labour in Malta is arrogant enough not to blush.

Dr Malcolm Mifsud is President of the College of Councillors of the Nationalist Party and a candidate in the coming general election

on the First District