Jason Micallef steps forward to take credit for win
Labour’s spectacular win over the PN in last Saturday’s European Parliament elections has opened a door of opportunity for secretary-general Jason Micallef, to come out of hiding and take the centre-stage (and merit) for a campaign he was never involved in.
One year ago, Micallef was sidelined by the party after the humiliating March 2008 result, which the PL secretary-general had prematurely announced as an “absolute majority” for Labour. But the party delegates defied expectation by retaining him as secretary general in the ensuing leadership shake-up: prompting Joseph Muscat to appoint a “CEO” in the form of James Piscopo.
In what was widely percieved as a public snub, Micallef was given the duties of administering the party’s under-structures, such as local committees and the day-to-day running of the party.
But the grand victory celebrated on Sunday evening appears to have revived Jason Micallef, who was first observed at the Naxxar counting hall closely following deputy leaders Toni Abela and Anglu Farrugia, without saying a single word while his “superiors” addressed the media and announced the result.
While it was a known fact that Jason Micallef had been silenced following his blunder at the counting hall in March last year, this time round he immediately seized the opportunity to make his come-back: rushing to the Hamrun headquarters on Sunday, arriving at a peak time when the party supporters were gathering in celebration.
He was mobbed by the jubilant crowd that acknowledged him as a party official and had to be escorted by the police to get past the barriers.
Micallef was also seen walking towards supporters, shaking hands and hugging them, sporting his trademark smile.
Observers immediately noted the sudden opportunism, as throughout the campaign he would be seen arriving just before the party activities begin, and rather than being with the party echelons on the main stage, Micallef would be seen standing amongst the crowd, and peeping from behind heads.
It was also noted that since the result, Jason Micallef has repeatedly appeared in interviews on One TV, where he would be asked questions related to “the successful campaign.”
However, his appearance on TVM ‘Bondiplus’ last Monday has reportedly irked senior PL officials who have expressed their concerns internally about his performance on television.
According to PL insiders, Jason Micallef’s remarks on “guarantees” for a new Labour administration to reduce utility tariffs were “unacceptable and irresponsible.”
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