On paper this week two important events should take place: the presentation of Budget 2013 and the election of the PN’s Deputy Leader.

In my personal opinion, no matter how much either or rather both events will be hyped up by the GonziPN friendly media, neither of them is likely to have any direct bearing on the election result proper – irrespective of whether the Budget fails to sail through Parliament or else whether Government manages to cling on till the very end.

By now the electorate is smart enough to have realized that this government will not be judged on the basis of its 2013 budget, but rather on its performance throughout the entire legislature that is drawing to its end.

Particularly on the basis of the endless unkept promises coupled with the other measures that were in no way to be seen in the manifesto itself.

A manifesto that ironically one of the deputy leadership contestants had coordinated in 2008 the same way as he is claiming to be doing this time round.

Whether he has merely coordinated the manifestos or actually written them (as he had originally implied) this tells the lie about his claim that he is a complete outsider to the local political scene and that he can offer something completely new and fresh when in actual fact he was the architect of what many claim to be one of the biggest political con games in recent years.

The manifesto of 2008 took so many gullible voters for a ride, even though the net result was far from a satisfactory one for GonziPN given their massive erosion of votes since the 2003 poll.

Labour’s wise decision to support and endorse the positive measures that are expected to form part of the framework of the Budget being read out tomorrow, will mean that rather than rocking the boat in search of cheap electoral tricks, the PL wisely chose to opt for a mature, sensible approach that put stability at the forefront of its agenda.

In order to ensure that there will be no hiccups during a possible transition stage (in the eventuality that we do win the elections), regardless of whether the budget is actually approved or not.

Contrary to the spin being spun by circles close to GonziPN it really does not make much difference for the PL who will clinch the deputy leadership title.

My gut feeling is that those who might really end up in a win-win situation are the two others who have chosen to sit it out, and possibly mark time for the period by when the PN could arguably be picking up the pieces.

I liked the way a particular non contestant who is being tipped for a possible run for the leadership post 2013 elections, pledged to support the Prime Minister for all the days to come. Notice the emphasis on the word days rather than weeks or months!

What also struck me throughout the deputy leadership campaign which from what I have been told by insiders was not that much of a race among friends as the PN leaning media might have implied, was that rather than offering a medium to long term vision as to where they both intend to take the PN in the coming years, both contestants seem to have focused almost entirely on the forthcoming elections, as well as on the unlikely prospect of their election really making any direct impact on the resultant outcome.

While one contestant boasted that ‘we can win the next election’ the other pledged to bring back lost votes.

The biggest loser in this race is expected to be Gonzi himself since some of the statements made by the contestants reflect badly on his performance to date; particularly during the past legislature.

Among some of the comments made by the contestants were the following:

Government was detached from the people

It did not communicate sufficiently

The fact that the Labour Party has itself changed after the last election has drawn new attention and potential voters to it

The exercise (that failed) to change the party was not mine.

This is the last card we can play

We need to put alongside Lawrence Gonzi a new person who can help turn the tables on the election

When they see the PM and me they will have a safe pair of hands ….

The honoraria was not my decision

The honoraria issue will stick with the PN for the whole election, irrespective.

Arguably the best point was made by a prospective bidder for the post Gonzi leadership race when while admitting that the deputy leadership post had to be filled, by his own admission, his initial reaction was one of reservation about the whole idea of having a whole idea of having a deputy leadership election, literally a couple of months before the general election.

At day’s end when the moment of truth turns up in the forthcoming elections they will be judging government on the basis of its record to date.

No matter what they might promise, a party that has been rife with five years of infighting can not only fail to offer an improved quality of life for one and all…but not even the necessary peace of mind; particularly when it does not even have peace of mind within its own ranks and fold.

Labour went through this in the past.

Come the next election it will have a unified diverse team with one sole intent: that of offering people hope, trust and confidence in a better future.

Where every voter matters and the public needs and aspirations so happen to be our main concern.