Former minister Evarist Bartolo this morning fuelled speculation that not all is well within the Labour Party camp.

Using a metaphorical ship with a “captain leading it half-heartedly”, Bartolo said that as time goes by more of his crew are losing their confidence in him. But, on the other hand, there does not seem to be any enthusiasm by anyone wanting to replace him.

“The passengers can choose a new captain and crew. But they do not have confidence in those who are saying they can take over the ship,” he wrote on Facebook.

This is leading “more and more passengers to lose their confidence,” he added.

“What happens next? The sea is likely to become rougher and rougher, and the ship is drifting without any direction, moving where the currents, waves and wind are taking it”.

Bartolo does not mention any names, but the implications are obvious. The captain is Abela, the crew are the ministers, and the passengers are the party supporters.

PM Abela has been under fire for his u-turn on the Jean Paul Sofia case, first pushing his MPs to vote against a public inquiry into the death of the youngster and then, four days later, deciding that a public inquiry should be appointed.