In tennis they don’t use the word zero when counting scores. They have a fancy name for it – they call it love. Some say that the name came from the tennis courts among the nobles in France when they used to call the zero “l’oeuf” (the egg) thanks to its ovoid shape. A tennis match kicks off at “love all” before moving on to other weird ways of adding up scores to find out the real winner. In any case for a tennis player love is nothing. Zero.
And Labour have got themselves a spanking new deputy leader just in time for the ball. We’ve already said much about how Labour have played to the PN’s tune when it comes to hyping the importance of deputy leaders and their “relevance” in politics and party programmes. We have also seen how Labour’s move is a clear demonstration that there was a moment of panic at the poll readings, that Anglu Farrugia was identified as the weakest link and that Simon Busuttil needed to be countered at all costs.
It is a battle of image and definitely not of substance. The supposed charm that oozes out of the newly anointed PN deputy leader was wreaking havoc with Labour’s plans. Somehow (and surprisingly) the PN bluff about having a “change card” in hand was working. So Labour needed to act fast. What better way then than to call the PN’s bluff? How? Short of cloning Simon they could only get as close fitting a substitute as possible. Enter Louis “Connery” Grech. Charm? Plenty. Affability? Truckloads. Substance? Come again?
For yes. We said it when Simon was anointed and we will repeat it with much greater force now that Labour got their clone. Where’s the substance? Show me the money. Grech shot out a speech about accountability, respect, managerial style and all that FEMA-speech yada we have long been hearing from Joseph. For a bit of added value he stole a few leaves from Franco Debono’s routine about meritocracy. Beyond that we just have image and the spiel about “experience gained in Europe” – Simon Said, Louis Did too.
So do we have anything new in our political constellation? Not really. We’ve got nothing. Love. The mad political extra-time before the end of the year has simply been an appendix of new-style valueless marketing. For now all we get are Simon and Louis… from Brussels, with love.
8 replies on “From Brussels with love”
Wrong on two counts IMHO. First, it is a question of image but not exclusively so. Farrugia’s flunking of “trial by TV” was not mere stage fright which could happen to the best and brightest. In his case it was WYSIWYG.
Second, the new constellation changes a lot of things. Had Farrugia stayed at Labour’s spot no. 2 and his Party won the next election that would have made him Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister whenever Muscat would have been away. Don’t tell me you won’t sleep a little bit more soundly knowing that now Farrugia’s won’t be the one to fill the post.
Oh. You mean things changed because things WILL NOT happen. Some change that. I don’t see how I was wrong on any of the two points. Firstly the fact that Farrugia’s hopelessness was not solely a question of image does not perforce lead to the conclusion that Grech will be an improvement in all areas and not just looks.
Secondly I don’t think that the matter of who will be deputy PM is topmost of the agenda – particularly since we do not even know whether Louis Grech will be co-opted to parliament or whether he will retain his “parliamentary affairs” claim solely via the Brussels seat
You must have missed the news then: Louis Grech will be contesting the general election and will be an MP in the next parliament. If Labour is voted in office he will be Deputy PM and Acting PM when Muscat is away.
And no, Farrugia’s failures do not imply Grech’s successes. But to Grech’s work in the EP (particularly on the internal market), Farrugia has no more than rabble-rousing speeches to the Party’s General Conference and TV showing which were embarrasing, to say the least.
Since parliament is to be dissolved in a few days without any further sittings there is no point in considering a co-option.
[…] From Brussels with love […]
Substance ? erhmmm like voting against gay rights when both were indeed gay. You know who I am referring to don’t you ?
p.s. greens are showing a lot of love lately.
Why don’t you name names? Is it perchance someone from Mellieha who might run you over with his car?
“So do we have anything new in our political constellation? Not really. We’ve got nothing. Love”.
It’s been a year of unprecedented political developments: One Minister voted out of Cabinet, one Ambassador given the Order of the Boot also through a Parliamentary vote, and most dramatically, a government defeated.
Moreover, there could very be a new political party or movement in the offing:
http://thaxwix.blogspot.com/2013/01/l-gazliet-ta-franco_3.html