When Glenn Bedingfield set up his blog, I wasn’t impressed. Even if I understood the “necessary evil” argument (let’s try making life as uncomfortable for them as they’ve made it for us), I disagreed on principle and felt that Bedingfield, as the Prime Minister’s communications aide, was the wrong candidate. You can’t run with hares and hunt with the hounds when you’re the government.
Among other reasons, the PL won the 2013 general election because its pitch was to unite and dismantle the old ‘us and them’ stereotypes the PN were still hung up on. In that it stole a march on the PN, still divisive (and divided), but happy enough to sample the advantages (disadvantages?) of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s hugely partisan and hostile blog. There were of course lame attempts to disassociate the party from her, but they didn’t really wash: Caruana Galizia already had her snout in the PN trough and was clearly a key strategist and damage controller.
Although the blogger’s links to the PN were highlighted in its 2013 electoral defeat report, the Gonzi administration, evermore discreet and distanced, did not sing a loud bass from the Caruana Galizia blog-sheet. This all changed with Simon Busuttil, who has openly endorsed her. The pair are now an established duet, shrill soprano and light tenor, and they perform her tunes in Malta and overseas.
The Labour Party has always condemned this sinister ‘hate-blog’. This meant that for many years the blogless Labour Party could take the higher moral ground. That changed with Bedingfield. He – and others – insist that he’s not in Caruana Galizia’s toxic league. Be that as it may, he’s still playing the old game of ‘tit for tat’ and tainting the party. It’s an ugly game PL will never win and shouldn’t want to either. And a double defeat. For not only has Labour given away its moral advantage, it’s lost credibility and the wherewithal to confront the rival blog convincingly.
Not only has Labour given away its moral advantage, it’s lost credibility and the wherewithal to confront the rival blog convincingly
A couple of weeks ago one of Bedingfield’s blog-posts featuring Ann Fenech’s armpits went viral on Facebook – accompanied by feisty lawyer Martina Farrugia’s lengthy indictment of the government. And suddenly the Labour jibe backfired: how can a government claim to be feminist when its communications aide is sexist or, at any rate, is sending out sexist and misogynistic signals? Absolutely. Apart from a couple of reservations there was no arguing with the post. My reservations involved discriminatory and sexist references to Bedingfield’s size.
But armpits or no armpits, when you’re the government there are places you just don’t go. And when you’re the Opposition desperately trying to get back into power on a tiny island, cancerous tumours, real or imagined sexual peccadilloes, and the complete invasion of the privacy of ordinary citizens whose votes you need, is highly off-putting.
Neither side sees the ‘blog’ in its own eye. And in the end it’s all so self-defeating. I admire Farrugia for taking Bedingfield to task but she and others would be more convincing if they took on Caruana Galizia just as forcefully, and protected everyone’s reputation from pseudo-journalism. Sadly, most (all?) of those who ‘liked’ and shared Farrugia’s post are publicly silent about Caruana Galizia, while many others admire, like and share her blogs, even at their most vile. People, of course, who would never like this article.
If something is sexist or hurtful, plain wrong or plain disgusting, it does not cease to be so because the author is being paid out of private funds. By the same token, being in receipt of public funds should not prevent anyone from speaking his mind with integrity. After all, the right to freedom of speech applies to everyone: which is not the same as saying that the exercise of that freedom is always right, or the content always factually correct.
Caruana Galizia makes full use of that freedom, although her commitment to factual accuracy – to truth – is often wanting. Unfortunately, the fact that she is not taken to task by people who are vociferous about Bedingfield et al, has precious little to do with her being “independent” of the taxpayer’s largesse. It’s because these people are in denial and afraid – of being targeted mercilessly and having their private lives investigated and distorted.
I can never quite understand how you can champion one blogger and vilify another. But double standards and arrant hypocrisy are the order of the day in Malta. Unfortunately, the Nationalist Party has lost the moral authority to condemn Bedingfield’s blog for two reasons: (1) because there is an obvious symbiosis between Caruana Galizia and the Opposition Leader; and (2) because the PN is even financing her libel suits via a crowd-fund set up by its own party machine!
How can Busuttil be taken seriously when he calls Bedingfield’s blog “homophobic” when he’s in sync and promoted by a blogger that has made gay insinuations about the Prime Minister for years and insulted his wife? To say nothing of ordinary people thrashed and trashed on a daily basis?
Bedingfield’s blog, even at its least hostile, is not on. There is indeed a conflict of interest, not to mention embarrassment for the Prime Minister. Likewise, Busuttil needs to realise the implications for the PN (and now PD!) of Caruana Galizia’s blog. The fact that he has sold his soul – or at least his future – to her makes it hard for him to be critical, especially when she is now singing the praises of his partner.
Busuttil needs to realise he’s running for prime minister of a country, one half of which his precious blogger is alienating like never before. And Muscat needs to understand that he should never have joined the Nationalist Party at such a divisive, ugly and dangerous game.
michelaspiteri@gmail.com