Even those who are not superstitious cannot help feeling Friday the 13th was an unlucky day for Labour leader Joseph Muscat.

Dr Muscat said shortly after he was elected that an earthquake was what he had in mind. What nobody realised, probably not even him, was that the first major tremor would take place right under his feet.

The writing was on the wall the previous evening, when Anġlu Farrugia and Toni Abela were well ahead of whom it is logical to conclude were Dr Muscat's favoured candidates for the deputy leader posts, Chris Cardona and Gavin Gulia. The two moustached stalwarts then each romped home with almost 65 per cent of delegates' votes.

There seems to be a firm possibility that Dr Abela's post will be redundant in the not-too-distant future as Labour seeks to reform the set-up, so his appointment is the less significant of the two.

But Dr Farrugia's is much more critical. One can only speculate over what factors - forceful personality, uncompromising speeches - delegates had in mind when they voted so strongly for him.

It is safe to say, however, that appealing to the wider electorate was not among them.

He is old Labour to the bone which is likely to hinder rather than assist the forward-looking Dr Muscat, whose declared mission is to reach out.

As the Labour leader reflects on his first full - very full - week, he will take heart from his performances in front of his own people as well those in front of a TV camera.

He has been personal, emotional (yes, perhaps a little too full-on at times), calm and collected. He made a symbolic visit to Dom Mintoff's home and did not attempt to retaliate when Joe Debono Grech resigned.

But in the whirlwind that has gripped him since June 6, he may have underestimated in the past few days the need to work his delegates, though, admittedly, he was not helped by the fact that the election for deputy leaders came so soon after his own.

Spilt milk or not, he must move on. Sidelining Dr Farrugia does not seem to be a sensible option in a party climate when it is confusing to know which seeping hole should be plugged first.

So embracing him in the way Tony Blair did with John Prescott could be the best way forward - though it will not be lost on Dr Muscat that, unlike the former British Prime Minister, he does not need someone to link him with the grass roots of the party.

What he does need - and perhaps does not have yet - is a small group of level-headed and mature advisers whom he can counsel in what are clearly going to be difficult times ahead. He also needs to communicate to his colleagues and members the vision he has to make the party credible, and get them to buy into it. If he does not manage to do this, he may have to endure many more Friday the 13ths.

Last Friday was also, of course, a bad day for the EU, as the Irish rejected the Lisbon reform treaty that, among many other much more significant things, would give Malta a sixth seat in the European Parliament.

The EU seems to be saying - and Lawrence Gonzi is indicating strongly he will back this - that it will press ahead with the ratification process as if the Irish vote did not happen. Dr Muscat must be wishing he could do the same.