Earlier this month, I sent a text message to Martin Scicluna saying I looked forward to Wednesdays so I could read his weekly column at breakfast. I also said I invariably left the breakfast table enlightened and encouraged.

His well-researched, well-reasoned reports always give a balanced view. He is courageous in his views and often controversial in this Maltese milieu of ours but I suspect that is because he does not hold back from going against strongly-held religious and political views, which, in his opinion, require discussion.

There is little question he is the scourge of the bigots and hypocrites among us – a minority, I dare hope, but a vociferous one.

When he writes about those who, for political or personal ambitions, vilify the nation in the international arena, Scicluna writes patriotically in defence of the truth.

The damaging picture painted in the European Parliament by a tiny group of disgruntled and zealous Maltese politicians appears to be based mostly on hearsay and innuendo and, of course, hatred. Their only aim appears to be to bring down the hated Labour government at all costs.

They must realise that is not going to happen. So, what is it that motivates them? They go on digging a historical grave in which their ideas and behaviour will be buried.

Scicluna and I belong to old Maltese families and our families have been friends for generations. Therefore, it saddens us both to see that the momentum behind all this is fomented by a relatively small group of educated people of the Maltese middle and upper classes, many of whom are personal friends and relations.

Matters hit rock bottom when the reaction to Scicluna’s writings consists of vile insults, unworthy of those who utter them.

I ask myself: is this all a result of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s legacy?