Don’t let party loyalty ‘blind you,’ PN candidate Borg Manche urges Labourites in first speech

Former Labour mayor Conrad Borg Manche used his first address as a Nationalist Party candidate to appeal directly to Labour supporters, urging them to “open your eyes” and not let party loyalty blind them “from what is happening.”

Speaking during a PN event in Qormi, Borg Manche said switching political allegiance was not easy, but insisted the country could no longer remain divided “while those in power do as they please with the country.”

“I know what it feels like to be betrayed,” he told supporters, drawing loud applause. “I know what it feels like to see a party taken over by a group of people only interested in filling their pockets, and personal power.”

Borg Manche, who served as Labour mayor of Gżira for nine years, said he did not join the PN over “political colours”, arguing that colours “do little to solve people’s problems.” Instead, he said his move was driven by principles and disillusionment with Labour.

He accused the government of prioritising businessmen over residents, citing the controversy surrounding the Ġżira garden project as proof that the current administration “is only interested in how it can help businessmen. The people come after.”

“The government is only interested in helping those who have money to influence people,” he said, adding that the episode convinced him “the Labour machine is not working for the people.”

Borg Manche also criticised Labour for failing to enact promised family law reforms, saying years had passed with “a lot of nice words on paper but no action.” He argued Malta’s low fertility rate was linked to the struggles faced by young couples and separated parents.

“The law should be rewarding good parents, irrelevant who they are,” he said. “We have children begging to see their parents. It is not right to have a system which creates winners and losers. Children are the ones losing out.”

He said his conscience no longer allowed him to support Labour, accusing the party of corruption and arrogance.

Borg Manche praised PN leader Alex Borg, saying he believed the leader was “genuine” and that the PN now offered “a serious alternative to government.”

During the speech, Borg Manche also paid tribute to the family of Mirabelle Falzon, whose death after a rockfall in Marsaskala will soon mark two years without justice being delivered.