According to The Independent, Labour spelled out its vision for Gozo and promised to provide jobs for Gozitans in Gozo.

When you read the actual article, you realise that the headline writer didn't actually bother to read the report, because nowhere is Labour's vision spelled out, unless you count mouthing an insincere platitude as spelling out a vision. Still less is there any evidence as to how Labour intends to fulfil its promise to provide these jobs.

The thing is, although it sounds really nice to say that the choice of where to work should be left to the individual concerned, reality dictates that this will hardly ever be the case. Of course Gozitans would prefer to work in Gozo (well, that's the received wisdom, anyway - I suspect some are not displeased to be away from the insularities of a small island) and in an ideal world, so they should, but if someone chooses to work as a nuclear physicist, is a Labour government going to cater for her?

I exaggerate for effect, of course, but you will grasp what I'm getting at, I'm sure.

So in fact, Muscat is being patronising with the Gozitans, to the point of rudeness, because he thinks they're stupid enough to fall for his populist rhetoric. It sounds nice, like mom, the family and apple pie, so he puts it out as an idea, whether or not it is workable, or even logical.

This is rapidly becoming par for the course where Muscat is concerned. He hangs back waiting for something on which the shallow and unthinking have confected what passes for an opinion and then he makes it his own.

Expect more as he grubs for every available vote.