Differences

We are now more than half way through the electoral campaign and many differences have emerged between the parties.

The Nationalists have been positive, using Lawrence Gonzi's record in his first stint as Prime Minister as the springboard for an electoral programme containing many proposals that have gone down well with civil society.

Labour, on the other hand, has surprisingly shown itself quite confused and unprepared. It has already wasted more than half the campaign mudslinging, then coming out with proposals that have already been implemented.

Dr Gonzi has based his first two weeks on his record of the last four years and is now explaining his proposals for the next five. His achievements cannot be argued with: the highest full-time employment ever at more than 142,000, private sector jobs surpassing the 100,000 mark for the first time ever, sound public finances with a deficit well within the Maastricht criteria, an economy growing at 4.3 per cent, a smooth changeover to the euro, the best year ever in tourism in 2007, €1 billion in investment last year, €855 million from the EU, SmartCity, thousands of new jobs in specialised manufacturing and services, new opportunities for technical training at Mcast, a culture change in state primary and secondary schools, stipends for students in private higher education institutions, the courage to change environmental decisions, Il-Majjistral, rehabilitation of Magħtab, 60 kilometres of new roads, a plethora of practical initiatives for energy-saving products, the opening of Mater Dei Hospital, a smooth transfer from St Luke's Hospital, full increases for pensioners who can now keep on working, children's allowances for all irrespective of income, a tax-free year for working women, two consecutive income tax cuts...

And there's more to come. An electoral programme containing 353 proposals warrants an article and more. But what catches the eye is a further widening of the tax bands with normal incomes taxed at not more than 25 per cent. Experience both locally and abroad has shown that income tax cuts are the best way to further boost the economy while increasing, rather than decreasing, government revenue. And the environment will be the top priority for a second Dr Gonzi stint at Castile after succeeding in his first term to put jobs, the economy and public finances on a sound footing.

Labour has underwhelmed. Its main message is that it has been in opposition for far too long, so now the only way for Labour is up. Quite a weak argument, I find. What was supposed to be a campaign that would hit the ground running did not even have billboards booked and had to come up with shoddy containers covered up with foreign images and a 20-year-old song.

The more mudslinging coming from the Labour campaign the more I think Labour has decided there's no way it can criticise Dr Gonzi on his record, so it has opted for what it always does when in opposition. Labour itself has seemingly decided its proposals are nothing much to write home about, being far from the vision or direction expected from a party that has been so long in opposition. Making policy as the campaign went along has also sown confusion and uncertainty. Is this how a Labour government would operate, making policy on the hoof?

Wasting at least half a campaign trying to ram home the idea that all ministers are corrupt after inviting Michael Woods (whose brother was investigated for corruption) to the Labour conference is rich, to say the least.

Many have been surprised by Labour's underwhelming campaign, including myself. A friend of mine offered an explanation: Labour is singing the same old song that "anyone who's not with us is against us". Now it's "a government for Labourites" and "something's wrong with the Nationalists' DNA". What's new from Labour?