Lino Spiteri was alone once

Lino Spiteri's article Loneliness Of A Long-Distance Runner (May 16) deserves comment.

Nobody doubts that Mr Spiteri has been an advocate of EU membership even when he was Labour's Minister of Finance. I believe that then he too must have felt "the loneliness". But that did not deter him from holding on to his views. Why then should Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici be discouraged if he believes that he is right in his stand?

Mr Spiteri gave the impression that Dr Mifsud Bonnici is alone. How wrong he is! Doesn't he know of Labour MPs who agree with Dr Mifsud Bonnici's stand but are afraid to speak out in public and express their views? I know a number of them.

If Dr Mifsud Bonnici is "alone", it is because he is the only one who is not afraid to say what he believes in. And believes what he says!

One never knows when politicians who are still active in the political arena actually believe what you hear them say. Political convenience comes before political honesty quite often. "Principles" are easily forgotten and replaced by what is termed "pragmatism". Mr Spiteri was correct when he described Dr Mifsud Bonnici as "genuine" and "principled" and that "he was never interested in personal power or gain". If only we had more like him in both parties!

I also note that Mr Spiteri's article did not question Dr Mifsud Bonnici's grave accusation, namely that the legal report which was commissioned to be drawn up by two lawyers ended up written and signed by just one lawyer, Joe Brincat. Nor did Mr Spiteri ask why party delegates were not given other legal and political reports which told a different story to those of George Vella and Dr Brincat.

And why did the parliamentary group come to a "majority" decision just before party delegates could have their say? Shouldn't MPs be representing the views and aspirations of their voters? Or is it the other way round now?

Yes, "dirty tricks" galore. But for EU fanatics all is permissible so long as the final objective is achieved. The EU elite in Brussels are the best teachers of this maxim!