Ever since the Government led by Joseph Muscat swept into power it has acted like the proverbial broom: all has been action, super action in fact. Any criticism is taken really well and swept under the carpet by saying the others did the same—so they have been super-consistent and are fast becoming excellent sweepers.

They were voted in to change the ways of the world—to start a new era, to unite us all and give us all we deserve. Many ran to their call. Many clamoured for this messianic young man who rarely spoke of his plan but spoke in beautiful sound bites. Reality is now biting hard—and he has had a record number of gaffes attributed to him and his team. Some are despicable, some are small but show them all up.

But the PN can hardly just stop, stare or hurl abuse at the Labour Party in power. They cannot state, as Simon Busuttil did some time back, that he and the party cannot be held accountable for what happened while they were in power because, went his strange convoluted reasoning, they have already been punished by the electoral loss.

No, Dr Busuttil this is not enough. If members of your party—even if now retired, or in high positions—did the naughty or let the naughty be done, you have to name them and shame them. You have to be man enough and, if any existing members of the party were in any way tainted, dump them. Now is the time—later will be too late. Forget winning MEP elections: take decisions to make people, of all ilk and political hue, admire you. They will be reassured by the knowledge that you do not sweep anything under the carpet and will out the truth whatever the consequences.

Go for it Dr Busuttil. It might be painful but Malta will be truly grateful. The oil scandal might have been what killed the party’s hopes for an electoral victory in March. Turn it into what might eventually see the party rise from the abyss to the peak: if not in numbers then in probity.