The Labour Party should not be misled by its lead in the opinion polls. It still has a mountain to climb towards the general election, plus another mountain should a win come about. Complacency and tactical and strategic mistakes will sit ill on it.

Elections are won and lost in the final lap- Lino Spiteri

Elections are won and lost in the final lap. Lawrence Gonzi has already demonstrated that truism in 2008. I used to say that even the man on the moon could beat him at the coming general election. Well, Alfred Sant almost did, but failed in the last lap.

The Nationalists beat poll and popular predictions to win at the last puff, with about a third of the electoral quota, yes. But there are no draws in the political game. Winner takes all.

Gonzi, through cunning or perhaps as a gesture to recognise his narrow win, appointed a Labour man as president. He proceeded to govern as if he has a majority of five. He still does, despite the humiliation heaped upon him by some of his backbenchers. It is a desperate job, but he remains comfortable in the knowledge that Franco Debono will not bring down the government. Placing his woes at the back of his mind, Gonzi continues to command a machine that has no equal when it comes to spin.

The removal of Richard Cachia Caruana from his European Union job could have been a blessing in disguise for the PN. He can now organise spins full- and extra-time. And – brother! – is he enjoying doing that. He can also concentrate on a massive recovery job, aided by the fact that the government can deal out the cards.

It may be that Labour will still win, but there is no sure thing in politics. Especially with the extension of the vote to youngsters who shall be 18 by the election date. The polls are also saying that the Labour Party is behind when it comes to voting intentions of the young.

Labour still has to penetrate that cadre properly. It also has to become more appealing to the middle-aged, moving into the future. The Nationalist spin is concentrating on throwing the Labour image back into the past, with some spinners shamefully even desecrating Dom Mintoff’s memory on spiritual grounds, as shown in The Times on Thursday by Saviour Felice Pace, a former monk.

Anything goes, and going it is. The Nationalists are leaving no stone unturned to rubbish Labour and will probably pack a stronger punch closer to election day. Labour has to convince that it is the party of the future and that it has what it takes to do a better job than GonziPN, which has not done badly in economic terms, though it has failed miserably in regard to the public debt.

Labour, should it win the general election, will have another mountain to climb in the first six months. As a newcomer to power after so many years it will not have much proven experience to start with, though it will muster more than the Nationalists did when they won in 1987. Labour will have to take a good grip of the administrative machine to persuade the civil service and public sector bureaucrats that it will be fair towards them and respect those who are loyal to the government of the day, as public servants ought to be.

That will be crucial, both in itself, and also because the country will be pausing and watching for early signs of performance and efficiency.

Governing is about efficiency, fairness and sustainability. Efficiency will be the main test in the first six months should Labour take office.

In this context I believe that Labour is committing mistakes they can ill afford. Targeting Cachia Caruana in his government job was one of them. It made many civil servants ask whether they could be subjected to similar treatment. Instead of clarifying that it would not be the case Labour dug the hole deeper.

It is saying that it will hold Enemalta bureaucrats accountable should it be found thatthey had taken part in manoeuvres with a political aim. Thatis nonsense.

Even the most politically rabid of civil servants or bureaucrats cannot be held accountable for their entity’s actions.

Political responsibility rests with the minister, always, even if he acts at arm’s length.Let alone when ministers are so resolutely hands on and obsessed with micro-management. Labour’s threat harms its image and emphasises the question of what governance will be like, should Labour win. CachiaCaruana and his spinning team must be gleefully rubbingtheir hands.

Another mistake is the attack on the Health Minister because one of his relatives now occupies a senior post in the Health ministry. Surely, the blood relationship is not the point. In tiny Malta ultimately everybody is related or friendly to each other.

The point is whether theminister’s relative is qualified for the job, and whether he was appointed fairly, after due process.

If he was not, then let the political bullets fly.

But if he was, and so far there has been no charge that he was not, to attack him is not only mean, but a political mistake. Is Labour saying that, once in office, it will send its relatives to Coventry?

Actually this is an old Nationalist tactic. In 1996 they attacked Sant over the appointment ofhis brother as chairman of a public entity.

I made it clear that Sant had nothing to do with the appointment. I had made it, as Finance Minister, because Sant’s brother was the best man for the job. In fact Sant had objected but I stood my ground.

The Nationalists stooped low. Labour will gain northing by joining them in the mire

It is time for all of us to growup and play objective politics, not personalities.