This footage recounts Mintoff as a deputy leader of the Labour Party. In his meetings, where he emphasised mostly the notion of welfare, there used to also be the presence of his mother, Cetta, who used to attend all his meetings. In the 1947 elections, he was the candidate that got most votes, being the only one exceeding 4k votes. During that election, the Labour Party won 24 seats out of 40.
Paul Boffa became prime minister while Mintoff became the Minister For Employment and Construction, while also being the Deputy Leader. Having just emerged from the war, it was a difficult period for Malta with ample poverty and lack of money.
Mintoff wanted to build the Marsa Power Station which was estimated around $11,000. So, Malta wanted to get financial aid through a self-help program from America known as the Martial Aid. However, being a colony to Britian, Malta did not have the constitutional right to negotiate the deal with another country. Only Britian could do it for Malta.
So Boffa and Mintoff went with this proposal to Britain but this proposal was denied. On their return to Malta, the Maltese Cabinet gave an ultimatum to Britain and Mintoff was sent to Britain to give this ultimatum.
While Mintoff was in Britain, the British governor in Malta, told Prime Minister Boffa that Mintoff is carrying out negotiations secretly in Britain. The British governor made Boffa understand that Mintoff was negotiating the contents of the Martial Aid offer and ultimatum. Thus, Boffa sent a telegram to Mintoff, asking him for clarification. Mintoff took this to heart and sent a telegram back using harsh words. Boffa replied that he will be travelling to Britian to meet him. Mintoff told him that he can go next to him as much as he wants, but he must agree that any negotiations, it is he, Mintoff, who must be in sole charge. Boffa replied telling him that no one is insinuating that he is not trustworthy but that he is acting on information that he had received from the British governor and that he will be travelling to him so that together, they can work in Malta’s interests.
Mintoff replied that shall Boffa travel to Britian, Mintoff won’t speak to him and will resign there and then. Boffa did travel to Britian. Mintoff kept his word. He called for an international press conference, resigned from his ministerial position but not as a deputy leader and announced that he will be going back to Malta to smash Boffa.