AND AT A STROKE

It used to be that it was one week that was a long time in politics - now, if you're Franco Debono, it's a few minutes that marks the divide between night and day.

I'm told that the dear fellow walked into the PN Executive meeting and gave what he probably thought was a statesmanlike and conciliatory speech. No sooner had the dust settled on his peroration that a motion was passed, declaring that he, and the other sad little rebels, would be barred from contesting the next elections. I'm also told that he went moderately ballistic, meaning that for the next couple of days, the media will be regurgitating the thoughts of The Boy Who Came First in Form Three Mid Years, until they realise that actually, he's no longer of any importance whatsoever and he will be dumped onto the scrap-heap of history, where he so richly deserves to be.

I mean, honestly, he behaved like a complete lout, voted against the Nationalist Party and now he's surprised that he's been dumped? He has the gall to whine and wail about cruelty and unfairness, when those are the exact words that describe his treatment of Carm Mifsud Bonnici, a better man than Debono could ever hope to be? It is to the media's eternal shame that it ever gave him the time of day, let alone kowtowed before him as if he were the non plus ultra of political and forensic thought.

As for the other two, well, the least said probably the better. Pullicino Orlando's weird campaign has now blown up in his smug little face and it's hardly worth the hassle his pursuing his idiotic crusade now that his puny efforts have been given the elegant two fingers by the Executive. He can now slink off into the sunset of his political career, such as it ever was - hope he at least has a decent honeymoon. Mugliett isn't worth even another word.

Whether all of this means that we're going to have an election soon and whether Labour will live down the ignominy of their recent opportunism remains to be seen: that's not the point of this blog. Right now, I'm just venting, hopefully letting these three know what people like me think of them, which is that they are not a hell of a lot better than pondlife. And yes, you can say I'm being spiteful if you want to, see if I care - I would only care if you were someone whose opinion I respect, and if you don't agree with me on this, then I don't.

For the record, my Beck column was written on Wednesday, so take that into account when you read it.