Alex Borg has learnt his first political lesson the hard way. When faced with a sensitive question about the environment, particularly the issue of high-rise development in Gozo, instead of giving a clear and firm "no" to the idea, he left the door open. Labour wasted no time in pouncing on this opening, framing Borg as someone who would be ready to "destroy" the island he comes from.

It was an avoidable misstep, one that has given Labour ammunition to use against him whenever he dares to raise his voice on environmental issues. The fact that Borg later attempted to clarify, saying he was speaking about a need for a skyline policy, only served for Labour to pour more scorn. By then, the damage had been done.

This is the kind of experience that newcomers to leadership roles must learn from quickly. Borg, still in the early days of his position, has been very visible, perhaps too visible, in recent weeks. Overexposure can be dangerous for someone still finding their footing, and his slip-up highlights the need for him to sharpen his political instincts.

He must understand that in interviews, curve-ball questions will always be thrown his way. A seasoned politician knows how to deflect or reframe such questions without leaving space for damaging interpretations. Borg must develop this skill if he wants to withstand the scrutiny that comes with his role.

At the same time, it is difficult to ignore the orchestration of Labour's response. It is hard to believe that so many ministers spontaneously rushed to their social media accounts to denounce Borg's words. The swiftness and coordination suggest that the party leadership gave a clear directive: seize on Borg's words and attack him relentlessly. Such is the cutthroat nature of Maltese politics. Yet, while Labour was eager to weaponise Borg's slip, what emerged most clearly was its own hypocrisy.

For more than a decade, Labour has presided over the most aggressive construction boom in the country's history. Its policies, particularly those tied to population growth and the development model it pursued, turned Malta and Gozo into sprawling jungles of concrete. Villages and towns that once had character and identity have been transformed beyond recognition. And yet, the same party that allowed this overdevelopment now dares to act "shocked" - to use Prime Minister Robert Abela's own words - when Borg stumbles over a question on high-rises in Gozo.

The contradiction is staggering. Labour is the same government that only weeks ago tried to rush through two controversial bills before the summer recess, both of which would have tilted the balance even further in favour of developers at the expense of environmental protection. It was only the strength of public pressure that forced the government to pause its plans. But even this pause is deceptive. The bills were not withdrawn, merely postponed, with the government buying itself time through a rushed consultation period held in the middle of summer, when engagement is naturally low. Civil society groups, aware of this tactic, will organise a national protest on Saturday to ensure that public outrage is not quietly ignored.

The hypocrisy does not end there. Labour's supposed concern for Gozo's character in unconvincing when set against its record. Anyone who visits Xlendi or Marsalforn today can see what unchecked development has done. These seaside villages, once considered quaint and picturesque, have been overwhelmed by new buildings that have erased their charm. The mushrooming of development in these areas is a direct result of the same policies that Labour has championed. To pretend now that the party is concerned about preserving Gozo's identity is nothing short of cynical.

Labour's track record on the environment is, by all accounts, dismal. Successive Labour administrations, from Joseph Muscat's to Robert Abela's, have shown little willingness to take on the construction industry or to enact meaningful protections for the natural environment. Instead, they have cultivated a climate in which developers flourish, often at the expense of communities, heritage, and quality of life. To hear Abela express dismay at Borg's comments is to witness political theatre at its most hollow. The prime minister's words amount to crocodile tears, given his party's legacy of environmental neglect.

For Borg, the lesson is clear. He must not hand his opponents easy victories through careless words. He has to master the discipline of choosing his statements wisely and resisting the traps that opponents will inevitably set. His blooper, while damaging, can be a turning point if he learns from it.

For Labour, however, the episode only exposes the hollowness of its environmental rhetoric. No amount of finger-pointing at the Opposition can erase the reality of the damage the Labour government has done to Malta and Gozo over the past decade.

The real threat is not what Alex Borg said but Labour's policies. Until that is acknowledged, Labour's expressions of concern will remain little more than hypocrisy.