Four months after a referendum on independence and 164 years after it joined the British Empire, Malta became a sovereign Commonwealth realm.
In 1961 – after years of intense negotiations with the British government – the Blood Commission made provision for a new constitution where Malta was given self-government and recognised as the ‘State’ of Malta.
A referendum on this new constitution – which made the country an independent nation – was held in Malta between May 2 and May 4, 1964. It was approved by 54.5% of voters, and in September, Malta became an independent sovereign Commonwealth realm, with Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state.
Throughout its existence, Malta had a long and complex history which resulted in the island being ruled by a plethora of foreign rulers. Such rulers include the likes of the “Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Swabians, Aragonese, Hospitallers, French, and British”.
Malta’s final ruler, Britain, granted Malta self-governance after Malta’s brave resistance to the Axis powers and loyalty to Britain during World War Two, which did allow for the movement for independence to grow more in popularity.
Malta declared independence from the British Empire and joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1964 and declared itself a republic a decade later, known as Republic Day. In 1979, all British military presence was ended and in 2004 Malta joined the European Union.
Malta Independence Act – UK Govt.
At midnight on September 21, 1964, the Constitution of independent Malta breathed life into the Parliament of Malta, the government of Malta and to a judiciary, which was to safeguard our democratic liberties by ensuring that the Constitution of Malta was in effect truly the Supreme law of the Maltese Islands. Austin Bencini (Times of Malta 2014)
Here’s the official reel from British Pathé’s film of Independence Day back in 1964. Further down there is a silent reel of the proceedings of the day, with Prince Philip and Governor-General Maurice Dorman side by side. And another blast from the past, this time from 1955, where Labour prime minister Dom Mintoff attempts to sell his proposal for integration to the United Kingdom, before the rebuff that set in motion the wheels for Independence.
Here’s how it was celebrated from one company, which is synonymous with Valletta’s main road, back then called Kings Way (today Republic Street). The shop is still a significant attraction point in Valletta.
The road to Independence
After the Second World War, the islands achieved self-government, with the Malta Labour Party (MLP) of Dom Mintoff seeking either full integration with the UK or else self-determination (independence), and the Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) of Giorgio Borġ Olivier favouring independence, with the same “dominion status” that Canada, Australia and New Zealand enjoyed. Meanwhile, after the 1948 Red Flag incident, in 1949 Britain signed the North Atlantic Treaty and joined NATO.
After the 1952 accession of Queen Elizabeth II, in December 1955 a Round Table Conference was held in London, on the future of Malta, attended by the new PM Dom Mintoff, Borġ Olivier and other Maltese politicians, along with the British Colonial Secretary, Alan Lennox-Boyd. The British government agreed to offer the islands three seats of their own in the British House of Commons. In addition, the Home Office would take over responsibility for Maltese affairs from the Colonial Office.[14] Under the proposals, the Maltese Parliament would also retain responsibility over all affairs except defence, foreign policy, and taxation. The Maltese were also to have social and economic parity with the UK, to be guaranteed by the British Ministry of Defence (MoD), the islands’ main source of employment.
UK integration referendum was held on 11 and 12 February 1956, in which 77.02 per cent of voters were in favour of the proposal, but owing to a boycott by the Nationalist Party, only 59.1 per cent of the electorate voted, allowing the opposition to claim that the result was inconclusive.
There were also concerns expressed by British MPs that the representation of Malta at Westminster would set a precedent for other colonies, and influence the outcome of general elections.
In addition, the decreasing strategic importance of Malta to the Royal Navy meant that the British government was increasingly reluctant to maintain the naval dockyards. Following a decision by the Admiralty to dismiss 40 workers at the dockyard, Mintoff declared that “representatives of the Maltese people in Parliament declare that they are no longer bound by agreements and obligations toward the British government…” (the 1958 Caravaggio incident). In response, the Colonial Secretary sent a cable to Mintoff, stating that he had “recklessly hazarded” the whole integration plan.
Under protest, Mintoff resigned as Prime Minister, while Borġ Olivier declined to form an alternative government. This led to the islands being placed under direct colonial administration from London for the second time, with the MLP abandoning support for integration and now advocating independence. In 1959, an Interim Constitution provided for an Executive Council under British rule.
While France had implemented a similar policy in its colonies, some of which became overseas departments, the status offered to Malta from Britain constituted a unique exception. Malta was the only British colony where integration with the UK was seriously considered, and subsequent British governments have ruled out integration for remaining overseas territories, such as Gibraltar.
The years 1961 to 1964 were characterised by events ending Malta’s colonial status. These include: British calculations and machinations prior to the restoration of local autonomy; the 1961 Blood Constitution; the Church sponsored birth of the Christian Workers Party led by Toni Pellegrini; the burgeoning M.L.P.-Church conflict and later attempts at reconciliation; the 1962 election campaign and its aftermath; Borg Olivier’s successful pursuit of constitutional amendments; Dom Mintoff’s and his party’s resilience following electoral defeat; Borg Olivier’s demand for independence; the Maltese Administration’s and the trade unions’ reaction to the massive Services rundown announced in 1962; the relations between the G.W.U. and the M.L.P., the Maltese Government, the British Services and the other unions, respectively; the forcing out of the Baileys from the dockyard and the guaranteeing of continued employment of its workforce; the re-invention of the Maltese economy that included building the infrastructure required for the foundation of industrialisation and tourism; the on-going controversy concerning the wisdom or otherwise of seeking independence and over the Independence Constitution; the squabbling involving the Independence referendum; and the tangled London negotiations on the final form of the Constitution and the Anglo-Maltese financial and defence agreements.
Woven throughout this narrative is the theme of British self-interest striving to pull the strings even to the extent of Duncan Sandys attempting to influence the outcome of the Independence referendum. The referendum on a the new constitution was held between 2 and 4 May 1964 and was approved by 54.5% of voters
In 1961, the Blood Commission provided for a new constitution allowing for a measure of self-government. Giorgio Borġ Olivier became Prime Minister the following year, when the Stolper report was delivered. The stolper report first recommended the establishment of the Central Bank of Malta to close gaps in the financial institutions of the country.
The context of Independence Day celebration in polarized Malta (71-87)
Independence Day is one of the five national holidays in Malta. It was not always a national day. What follows is an explainer on the Context of Independence Day celebration in a polarized Malta (80s)
“Independence, freedom and indeed national days have assumed an unenviable and unique history of their own. Independence Day was eliminated as a national day and even as a public holiday by the Mintoff-led Malta Labour Party following its assumption of office in 1971. After using the pre-independence national day of 8 September (1565/1945) temporarily as a stop gap, national day became December 13th (1974) when Malta was declared a republic – no longer a constitutional monarchy as it had been since independence. But this day was itself replaced by another, that of 31 March (1979) marking the expiry of a new military agreement with the former colonial power, Britain, concluded in 1972. When in May 1987 the Partit Nazzjonalista were returned to power after sixteen years in opposition, the government would have wished to rehabilitate Independence Day; equally it sought ‘reconciliation’ in an island that had become more internally polarised than ever. In view of the impossibility of reaching a consensus about restoring Independence Day to its former status, in March 1989, it was agreed to do without a National Day as such, and instead to have no less than five days designated as national feasts to include 21st September 1964, 13th December 1974 and 31st March 1979.” – Henry Frendo ‘Malta’s Quest for Independence’
Sources : Times of Malta, Wikipedia, Malta’s Quest for Independence, Wikipedia, Britanica Encyclopedia, BT, University of Malta, Joe Pirotta, Henry Frendo.
