The announcement, by Opposition leader of rather drastic changes in the Opposition’s front bench line-up have been met by mixed reactions but on the whole positive ones.

This obviously does not mean that those involved and removed have appreciated the move, although their public comments have been rigorously loyal to the party and its leader. Whatever they may say to the mirror as they shave is another thing.

Dr Busuttil used the party leader’s prerogative to make such changes as any party leader can do without submitting his choices to the vote by some party council.

His decision shows he feels he is now in full control of the party and he enjoys the backing of the party to take those steps he deems necessary to put the party heading back to getting a majority in the country.

Beyond the personalities involved, he has now put firmly on the back bench practically the entire Cabinet of Lawrence Gonzi’s administration, except for those at the head of the party. That’s pretty drastic. First of all, it seems he has taken notice that the public at large is still angry at the Gonzi Cabinet, as it showed, massively, in March 2013. Secondly, by exempting the four persons, including himself, from this cull, he lays himself open to the charge that the cull was not completely just in that he himself, to be clear, was very involved with the Gonzi government decisions. He must have felt robust enough to take this strategic decision.

Concern has been expressed on the mix of the new, streamlined, Shadow Cabinet.

On the one hand there is now perfect gender balance, which you don’t find either in the Gonzi Cabinet or in the Muscat one.

One sticky issue regards the presence of MEPs in the Shadow Cabinet. Many have pointed out the two MEPs on it do not have a seat in Parliament and so cannot question the counterpart ministers. That is true, and only partially addressed by having the members of the Shadow Cabinet heading groups of MPs who will no doubt be asking questions and making speeches on their behalf in the House.

On the other hand, maybe, this could be a wedge that could open either a can of worms or else promote a needed change in our Constitutional set-up.

To explain: one issue successive governments have been facing has always been the Constitutional requirement that members of Cabinet must be elected members.  Successive governments have been trying to go round this: Dom Mintoff and KMB had the GWU attending Cabinet; Fenech Adami and Gonzi had RCC attend, this administration has Toni Abela.

To our point of view, Dr Busuttil’s choice is another way to go round the Constitutional requirement and indeed may open the way to further changes in the future.

Other countries do not have our constitutional requirement and function just the same.

Mainly, however, Dr Busuttil’s decision was a courageous one as befits a leader facing such a mammoth task.

One final issue which no one seems to have raised: was it such a good idea to have the party secretary become Shadow Minister of Gozo at the same time?