The surveys published last Sunday by MaltaToday show a striking picture. The story has a very simple and clear message – Labour, under the leadership of Joseph Muscat, has managed to lose the 36,000 vote advantage, bringing the gap between the two major parties down within the margin of error. This means that should there be an election today, the result can go anywhere.
Muscat must be super livid. How could this happen? Who is to blame? Who can he fire? Judging by two recent articles published in the popular British paper, the Daily Express, Muscat has only himself to blame.
On Tuesday, the first article published carried the heading: “‘UK faces Greece’s fate’: Outrageous Brexit threat as Malta boasts about ‘inferior EU deal’.”
How totally and utterly embarrassing is that? Our very own Prime Minister sends an “outrageous threat” to one of our most important allies and has the audacity to “boast” about it. And this, only a few months prior to taking on the EU Presidency!
Now if the article wasn’t embarrassing enough, the comments below (almost 700 when I last checked), made sure that we, but particularly our pompous PM, got the message loud and clear. Muscat lacks the decent sense of diplomacy and humility. Donald Tusk could definitely give our PM a lesson or two before he steers the EU Presidency.
Of course the Daily Express couldn’t resist a follow-up story the next day. This time the heading read: “‘Britain can't have its cake and eat it': Brussels will gang up on UK over Brexit talks”.
More diplomatic words of wisdom from our PM.
What a total amateur! Actually amateur does not even begin to describe how Muscat has depicted himself on the international political scene. Amateurs do things for the love, not for the money. As Konrad Mizzi would aptly put it, he is “not fit for purpose.”
Once again the comments were not just addressed to Muscat, but also to our country. They called him “little numpty”. Another shocking comment read: “Short memories the Maltese, we should have left them to the fascists and the Nazis to devour. Dom Mintoff, was an ungrateful snake too.”
Some Maltese felt it necessary to detach themselves from Muscat by placing their comments too. A few others tried to play the heroes and stand up for him. Mind you, the effort came from the usual suspects who always have something to say on our media. My appeal to them is simple. When in a hole, stop digging.
A quick online search immediately reveals that Muscat is all over the British media but, once again, for the wrong reason. Articles featuring his comments are on The Daily Telegraph, Sky News, The Independent (UK), The Evening Standard, etc.
We can imagine the tantrums in Castille. Somebody must do something to fix this and soon. But things are getting very complicated now in Castille.
Muscat’s closest friends are not in much of a position to help him. One is getting ready for grilling in Brussels over the Panama Papers scandal, while the other one is very busy covering his tracks. They have lost count of the scandals and can’t catch up with their own mess.
Isn’t it rich that our PM finds it appropriate to talk down to the British because of Brexit when he worked so hard to keep us out of Europe? Isn’t it even richer that he acts all righteous when his closet is bursting with very dirty laundry?