The Labour Party has been trumpeting the convention that will elect its leader in future (not the present leader, one notes). But Maltese Labour has really only copied the decade-old system by which the Conservatives in Britain were electing their last few leaders and which they are unhappy with and have already tried to ditch.

Leader after leader, the Conservative Party has been losing election after general election in Britain. Many within the Conservative Party blame the system by which members, who are usually more extreme, elect leaders in their image rather than leaders that appeal to middle-of-the-road voters.

The Conservatives have tried to remove the convention system and have in fact voted against this system but not with a majority large enough to change the constitution of the party which requires a qualified majority for amendments to be adopted.

So the Conservatives in Britain are now lumbered with a convention system that they don't want. They might be gratified to know, however, that Maltese Labour has now copied the system they have been trying to ditch.