Malta’s Prime Ministerial hopefuls Chris Fearne and Robert Abela have no idea how much a loaf of bread costs, raising questions on their socialist credentials.

Both supposed left-wingers who insist their hearts lie with Malta’s working class, Fearne and Abela seemed unable to provide the cost of a loaf of bread, a staple food in most, if not all, Maltese families.

Speaking on Xarabank, Fearne said the price of a whole loaf was 25c, close to 300% less than its actual current value.

Meanwhile, Abela was more clever, explaining that he could not possibly know the price of bread as he generally buys burger rolls, not the traditional Ħobż tal-Malti.

In June 2018, bakers agreed to raise the price of Maltese bread by a significant 24cents, jumping up from  75 cents to 99 cents, after the international price increase of wheat.

Maltese bread is commonplace in most households, and at its relatively low cost, provides substantial value to low-income families. It seems troublesome that Fearne and Abela, a doctor and lawyer respectively, could have so little knowledge about the costs Maltese families faces.

With both Fearne and Abela supposedly proud socialists, may be better served to put down the champagne and start working on their working-class credentials.

Fearne and Abela will face off in a leadership election on Saturday 11th January, with a new leader expected to be chosen the next day.