The real MLP

When a political party finds itself with its back to the wall, such as the present-day Nationalist Party, it has only one way out of the mess it finds itself in and that is to try and paint a picture where the main opposing political party is depicted as being in greater disarray than itself. This is the sorry state to which the PN has been reduced today.

The PN media has long lost most of its credibility with many Maltese citizens because of the pitiable fantasies it continues to disseminate about the Malta Labour Party and all those having any connection with it. Those who attended the MLP's annual general conference 2006 were struck by the unity, the confidence and the sense of purpose displayed by all who participated. This is a far cry from the fictional picture painted by the PN media regarding the state of affairs within the MLP. One, therefore, has to distinguish between the real MLP and the fictional MLP created by the PN media and sold to the public.

Let us start with a favourite fantasy of the PN media: the so-called "alliances" within the MLP itself. How many times have you been told that the "Alfred Sant alliance" is manoeuvring in order to get itself into a better position within the party than the opposing "Michael Falzon alliance" and that the latter is counter-attacking through such and such a move? One would be excused mistaking the output of the PN media for the content of a spy fiction novel!

First of all, let me make it clear that there are no such alliances within the MLP. The leader and his two deputies have absolute respect for each other. Furthermore, all have a group of people who help them in their everyday work. Is it not the same in every political party in Malta and abroad? However, contrary to what the PN media would have us believe, these people cooperate and complement their work in the best interests of the MLP and, of course, Malta and the Maltese. Some may work closer with one person than with the other but is this not common in any enterprise, let alone a political party? The crux of the matter is that these different people helping the leader and his two deputies work together as a team and certainly not against one or the other of their bosses.

The second fantasy or myth (call it what you like) propagated by the PN media is that there are many MLP members who are against having Dr Sant as leader of the MLP. This is blatantly not true. Let us not mistake the high degree of democracy that exists within the MLP for internal strife within the party itself. The MLP is made up of many individual members with different opinions. These persons voice their opinions within the party structures.

One person may have an opinion that is diametrically opposed to that of another member of the party, sometimes even the leader himself. Both persons voice their opinions and, after a democratic debate, the will of the majority eventually prevails. This is nothing else but the essence of democracy at work. For the PN media, on the other hand, such instances are challenges to Dr Sant's leadership. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Today, I feel utterly confident in stating that it is not only the Labourites who have absolute confidence in the leadership qualities of Dr Sant but also the vast majority of Maltese citizens. Contrary to the fictional MLP created by the PN media, the real MLP is a vibrant political party, full of innovative ideas, with its members united behind the MLP leadership that is ready to hit the ground running once the result of the next general election is announced. At present, there is an air of confident expectancy within the Labour ranks as the countdown starts for building a new Malta under Dr Sant's leadership.