Parading in front of cameras is commonplace for Labour leader Joseph Muscat. After all, he hails from a television newsroom. But there is no sign of Labour’s favourite colour as the country edges ominously towards an early election.

... it is on policies that (Joseph Muscat) should be judged and not on his blue colours or on his image- Simon Busuttil

Rather, Dr Muscat addresses the cameras sporting a blue tie against a dark blue background and stands in the shelter of slogans claiming “stability” and “the country’s interest”, both strongly associated with the Nationalist Party.

And he also sends out his e-mail alerts under a blue banner.

So it is now clear.

Conscious of the shivers that a red Labour government can send down people’s spines, the Labour Party has been spending its money and energy trying to convert itself into a PN lookalike. Labour is trying to deny that it is Labour to the point that it almost gets confusing. I mean, let’s face it, in that attire Dr Muscat can easily pass for a PN candidate. He walks like one, talks like one. He even dresses up like one. Except for one thing. He is not one.

And that is not quite his problem. That is your problem.

Not because Dr Muscat is someone to be demonised. Quite the contrary, he is a likeable person with a great media savvy. But he does not have PN policies. Correction. He does not have any policies. And, therefore, on substance, he is not quite up to it.

In other words, even if he presents himself like a PN lookalike, he is not the real thing. And it is on policies that he should be judged and not on his blue colours or on his image.

Now, on policy Dr Muscat remains an unknown quantity. Consider these questions:

How does Labour propose to generate jobs? How will it reduce electricity bills? How will it secure sound public finances?

Hands up those of you who can answer these questions. Sorry, I see no hands. But that’s not your fault.

It’s just that Dr Muscat has given no answers. He just has catchphrases and slogans but no real answers on policy. And the last time he had a hand at it, he came out with 51 ridiculous proposals that do not quite make the grade.

And it’s the policies, not image, that make a difference for your job and for your family.

Now compare that to a PN government that is risking your boot if an early election is held.

It holds a track record on employment putting our country among those with the lowest unemployment rates in the entire European Union. That’s your job we are talking about. It is not insignificant.

It raised electricity rates to their real value at a significant political cost. But it subsidised needy families and introduced generous incentives for those of us who want to take control of our bills by switching to alternative sources of energy.

And, crucially, the PN government secured our public finances not just for this year but also for next year. Have a look at what the European Commission had to say only last week about the state of Malta’s public finances:

“Malta took the right corrective measures to make sure to keep to its commitments. We are very confident that the island is on the path to keep its public finances under the three per cent level of GDP in both 2012 and 2013”.

Does this mean that the PN is the be-all-and-end-all and can arrogantly arrogate to itself electoral power until the end of days? Of course, not. It can only be re-elected if it convinces you that – despite its shortcomings – it still has the best policies available, more so in the prevailing grave economic climate.

Just last Friday, Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency, downgraded or put under negative watch virtually all eurozone countries, including us.

Some, like Italy, Spain and even Cyprus (which was presented to us by Dr Muscat as our likely model) were kicked back by two notches, not one.

Greece already has junk status, so it could fall no further.

The blanket downgrading is due to the continuing risks that are faced by the eurozone. Now remember that the eurozone is our economic lifeline. If it fares badly, we fare badly.

Last Friday’s news does not make happy reading. But, this notwithstanding, we are now among just four eurozone countries with a public deficit that is lower than three per cent of GDP.

This is not a coincidence. It is the result of a government with sound policies that has delivered results and that has kept us out of the mess that other countries find themselves in.

No wonder, Labour is trying to shed its red and wants to look true blue.

simon.busuttil@europarl.europa.eu

Dr Busuttil is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.