Former Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia is set to become Malta’s next High Commissioner to the UK, with his nomination coming as current High Commissioner Joseph Cole’s tenure comes to an end.

This means there will be a new co-option in Parliament as Mallia will now need to resign as an MP before entering the new role. He’ll also need to pass a new parliamentary committee for public appointments.

Mallia, who at one point worked closely with former PN deputy leader Guido de Marco, had been elected on the 9th district after joining the Labour Party before the 2013 general election.

However, he was forced to resign in 2014 after his personal driver, former police officer Paul Sheehan, had shot a firearm at another vehicle in a traffic incident. Though Mallia wasn’t there, an inquiry found there had been an official attempt to cover up the shooting.

Two years later, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness.

What do you think of Mallia’s new role?