Joseph Muscat’s return to the stage last night was as spicy as expected, with the former prime minister throwing a jab at European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, even mocking her and accidentally “forgetting” her surname.

“We need to react to hate by showing more unity,” Muscat told a gathered crowd at the Triton Fountain last night during a political event organised by MEP candidate Alex Agius Saliba. “Even if they don’t want to give us the hand of friendship, even after we’ve extended it,” he continued, seemingly referring to a notorious moment at a meeting in Castille five years ago in the midst of the 2019 political crisis.

“Meanwhile, they’ll go and hug people who killed thousands of children,” Muscat said, as the crowd erupted in applause and jeers. “You know who I’m talking about, right? Roberta Bu-whatserhname, Busuttil, not Busuttil, what’s her surname? At least I didn’t call her Simon Metsola, because that’s what I was going to do.”

This latest comment was clearly a reference to Simon Busuttil, the former leader of the PN who, as Opposition Leader, was one of Muscat and the Labour Party’s main political targets back in 2017.