Election Playbook: I’m only watching Labour’s Love Island if I can vote contestants out

Labour Island:  The Labour Party is pioneering its own reality TV format with Il-Kamp Politiku. In case you missed it, this show will see Labour’s nine candidates living together in a hotel suite and carrying out challenges. There will be four episodes airing on ONE starting May 27 (election week!). As a reality show aficionado, I’ll definitely give this a watch, but would have loved to see a different format at play. Put them all on Filfla for a Survivor-esque special, and winner gets to be head of the Labour delegation to the European Parliament.  I would also love for the PN to jump on the reality show bandwagon with their own version of The Circle, which they can use to elect a new kap when the time comes.

Bills, bills, bills: Got a surprise letter from ARMS? You’re not alone. The utility agency is advising households that it will soon start telling people how much they saved on each bill as a result of government subsidies. So apart from being told how much is due to ARMS, there will be an additional box on the side telling you how much of your bill was covered by the subsidies. Despite the subsidies being in place since 2022, households were never being told how much they were saving as a result of the measures. And more interestingly, Joseph Muscat was one of the first to publicly suggest that the government should send a letter with every bill to show how much they would have spent without the government intervention.

Ivan Egg Mintoff: He’s back at it again. ABBA leader and MEP candidate Ivan Grech Mintoff tried bringing a carton of eggs to an MEP debate organised by the Broadcasting Authority. He insisted that his human rights dictate that he has a right to peaceful protest, and therefore to carry eggs and throw them on the floor during political events. It was Broadcasting Authority CEO Joanna Spiteri who had to stop him from entering the studio with the carton in hand, telling him that he was only allowed to bring papers and stationery into the room. Grech Mintoff threatened to open a court case against the authority over this, and he simply left the eggs at the studios.

What’s happening today?: The Labourt Party is holding a community event in Kirkop at 6pm. Arnold Cassola is holding a press conference at noon to announce his proposals on Gozo. Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar is holding a debate in Xewkija on the environment in Gozo.