It is a shame that a parliamentarian whom until now I held in high esteem has debased himself with his article (October 3). Probably Carmelo Abela felt he had to degrade himself to the least common denominator within Labour by resorting to insults and calling names to enhance his chances of political survival.

It’s the first time I have heard that someone had stated that the minimum wage increased by €1,000 a year. The real claim is that this increase was accumulated since 2008. Besides, those on the minimum wage do not pay income tax (they used to fall within the lowest rate under Labour), they can increase their income by €25 a week if they follow courses to enable them to improve their skills, their water and electricity bills are subsidised and their children in further education enjoy an enhanced stipend.

The minimum wage was always increased in every budget by every government since its introduction in 1974. It was only the illegitimate Labour government, which retained power against the people’s will as expressed in the 1981 general election, that froze the minimum wage in 1982 – it was not increased by a single cent until the return of a Nationalist government in 1987 removed all the socialist cobwebs and economic myths.

The freeze had been introduced as part of a plan to stem unemployment. This brainwave was so successful that unemployment increased from 4,000 to 10,000 as long as the freeze lasted!

Mr Abela also doubts whether Dr Gonzi would accept a defeat in the forthcoming election.

He can be rest assured that the PN does not covet either Labour’s record of going against the people’s will nor its heartless freezing of the minimum wage.