Labour leadership candidate Robert Abela began a press conference today by asserting that he was not running from the media despite having failed to give an interview to the independent press.

“I am very proud of my work but I didn’t have a campaign ready for this leadership race so I wanted to listen to people,” he said, later adding that he had no problem with interviews if he found time before the election next month.

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He added, however, that while he welcomed scrutiny from the media, he wanted to maintain an appropriate distance.

Yesterday evening, Abela launched his campaign for Prime Minister without inviting the media. But this morning he held a long press conference where he took ample questions and laid out his vision.

His vision includes an innovative proposal for public bonds to pay for vacant housing to be bought and transformed into social housing, with rents based on people’s incomes. He also proposed giving free medication to pensioners.

He said this proposal could be funded by the cash-for-passports scheme which he stressed should be kept up because it had changed the face of the country, even though he was open to fine-tuning where necessary.

Asked about the fact that he receives more than €500,000 in direct orders annually, Abela said he welcomed the question even though he cautioned that the press should “be more neutral”.

He stressed that he paid back every cent he ever received from the government through hard work and results.

Abela also defended the fact that he represented controversial OPM official Neville Gafa in court after he was sacked by leadership rival Chris Fearne. Abela said the OPM official sought his advice over €6,000 which Gafa felt he was being asked to pay back to the state unfairly.

Asked if he would accept Joseph Muscat in Cabinet, Abela said he did not think Muscat would want an executive role but he was very comfortable with his continued presence in the parliamentary group and would seek his advice every day.

What do you think of Abela’s plans?