When a former party leader, prime minister, current sitting MEP and head of party delegation in the European Parliament says something about the state of affairs in the party he forms part of, you would think that people would sit up and take note.

We are, of course, referring to Alfred Sant. Dr Sant used his blog on The Malta Independent  yesterday to deliver a strong message to his party. He said that the Labour Party is committing mistakes which are costing it dearly.

His cryptic barb was swiftly followed up by a post on Facebook, saying that Konrad Mizzi should go. He wrote: “Joseph Muscat showed admirable prudence and fair play on the issue, and for this he should be supported.

But it is not right that a decision that should be clear and inevitable is placed on the PM's shoulders. In his interest, both political and personal, in his family's interest, that of the Labour party and government, as well as the national interest, the decision that should be taken quickly is one to be taken by Konrad Mizzi: and this is to resign. In this way he could safeguard and defend himself, Dr Sant said.

Of course, the last line is a disclaimer, but it is very clear that Dr Sant is also saying that while Dr Mizzi should go because he is harming Malta’s reputation, he also gives him some more humane advice and tells him to do so for the sake of his family. Can this be interpreted as telling him that he should resign and save face for those who are around him.

The silence from the Labour camp was deafening on social media. But others called for him to also call for the resignation of his former protégé Joseph Muscat as well as his Chief of Staff Keith Schembri.

Dr Sant is an analytical man. He probably did not include Mr Schembri in the equation because he is not a fully fledged politician. As for Dr Muscat, how could he. He himself remembers the pain he suffered when he called early elections when Dom Mintoff voted against his Cospicua project.

The one characteristic that many people agree is Dr San’t virtue is his honesty as well as his inability to do anything out of true spite and malice. So this is why one would expect the party to listen to what he said. Another voice, of course, is Finance Minister Edward Scicluna. Prof. Scicluna spoke in parliament a few days after the PanamaPapers scandal broke. He was nowhere to be seen for a while when the local story broke over a month ago. But in parliament, without identifying anyone, he said that Malta’s name is being tarnished abroad and that the Prime Minister needed to take tough decisions and fast. The other voice was the enigmatic Evarist Bartolo. He posted a number of quotes on Facebook directed to the party and the leadership (of which Dr Mizzi now officially forms a part of) and was also reported  to be very irate during a cabinet meeting to discuss the matter.

This government accused the last one of locking itself in an Ivory Tower. It did. And it paid the ultimate price... it was unceremoniously booted out of office with a humiliating drubbing at the last General Election. But we turn the tables and ask the question: Is this government not doing exactly the same? Dr Muscat demands total loyalty and acquiescence from his Cabinet. But will he not even acknowledge calls from his own party? Thousands took to the streets to demand Konrad Mizzi’s ouster. The Prime Minister’s constant refusal to dump his senior minister is now turning into anger directed at him. His decision to be joined to Dr Mizzi at the hip could very well turn out to be his ultimate downfall.