The choir of angels came out singing early this year, yet it wasn't the birth of our Saviour that they announced in unison, rather it was a rehearsed and coordinated response to the outcry following the latest Labour government scandal. All the Labour cabinet, back-bench and government apologists tuned the perfect rendition of the party-sanctioned, pre-prepared response they were instructed to deliver, to the best of their choral ability, like the good yes-persons they are.

I am of course referring to the very latest episode in this long soap opera which we could call 'Labour, embarrassing you and themselves since 2013', starring the Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo, his lovely wife, the Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri and guest starring (just in a precious cameo role), the Prime Minister himself.

Once again, even though two senior government ministers have been caught with their proverbial pants down, no responsibility was shouldered by anyone, and everything is set to progress as normal. Move along, we are told, nothing to see here, get back to your lives, and let us run this country like it's our little fiefdom.

Because that is what successive Labour administrations have always done. Run the country like their personal estate, where their word is law, and the resources of the state theirs to give away, freely and according to their whims.

Unfortunately, we have come to know of so many scandals in 11 years, some huge like the hospitals, Panama Papers, and Electrogas, and some less huge, yet still serious, that a certain normalcy has been established around them. We are almost told that we need to lump it, and accept these things, because that is how things are done here - we're in the Mediterranean after all!

Yet this is not acceptable, if we ever want to progress as a country. This is not acceptable if we ever want to aspire to have a country where our young are proud to contribute and grow, and not catch the first flight out, the first chance they get.

We cannot accept this new normality. No matter which way you twist it, turn it, and wrap it in fine PR speak, this is yet another embarrassing abuse of power, and in a normal country, the two ministers would have been sacked faster than you can say how do you do!

Sadly, the Prime Minister appears to be completely powerless in the face of such a blatant abuse of power. He is powerless to discipline his ministers because he has lost control of his government completely. He knows that he does not hold the high ground from which to lead any longer, and now it has become a free for all. We have seen it repeatedly with the complete free rein enjoyed by the Film Commissioner, who, wonder of wonders, operates under the protection of the Minister for Tourism.

But Honourable Bartolo knows he is in good company, and he is unlikely to be singled out. He knows that most of his fellow Ministers have a cute little story about a direct order, exaggerated expense or outright mismanagement of resources to tell! So that's fine!

...and the taxpayer always ends up footing the bill.

This is no longer acceptable, and we must aspire for better. Malta deserves a government that leads by example, and that leads for all of Malta, not just for the inner circle of the few.

Alexander Mangion is Deputy Mayor of Attard