Economy Minister Chris Cardona does not feel he has to apologise for the “axe and sword” comment he made last Sunday during the Labour Party’s general conference (see video above)

It was a political metaphor, he said when approached by The Malta Independent today. Whoever does not accept political metaphors should be out of politics, he added.

Last Sunday Dr Cardona said that Nationalists should beware because “if you hit us with a sword we will hit you back with an axe”. This kind of language was condemned as being divisive and instigating violence, with fellow Labour MP Franco Mercieca also drawing attention to the phrase and calling for more respect.

But, today, five days after his speech, Dr Cardona has not had a change of heart, insisting that there was no attempt to instigate violence. He admitted that it was a string metaphor but he stood by it, saying he felt no need to apologise.

People speak of a political storm, and yet it was not a storm in the real sense of the word. It is just a metaphor, and there was no earthquake in the House, he said.