'Special delegate' job for Jason Micallef amid Labour’s leadership election saga

Jason Micallef, the former Labour secretary-general whose bid for deputy leader for party affairs sent shivers down some MPs’ spines, has been rewarded with a new party post.

The party’s administrative committee on Thursday appointed Micallef a special delegate to oversee the party’s electoral manifesto implementation.

While the post itself is unclear, many will regard the role as an assistant to the next deputy leader for party affairs, whose main contender so far will be Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba.

With Agius Saliba in Brussels, whose agenda entirely occupies his working week, Micallef might well be the party delegate who will mostly be conferring with Agius Saliba on his role.

He will be reporting directly to Labour’s chief administration, the party said on Thursday after an administration meeting.

READ ALSO: Labour Party fears Joseph Muscat takeover by proxy

The government already has a similar role within its Cabinet, with Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi tasked with the implementation of the electoral manifesto during last January’s reshuffle.

On Tuesday Micallef, a former party secretary-general under the Alfred Sant leadership, withdrew his nomination after meeting MEP Alex Agius Saliba.

Agius Saliba is expected to contest the post of deputy leader for party affairs, saying he will support a third change in statute which would re-allow MPs and MEPs to contest the role.

Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

The Labour Party also said Friday’s extraordinary general conference will see party delegates discussing the change in statute. 

The elections for deputy leaders and other appointments in the Labour administration will take place between 13th and 15th September.

Nominations for all positions will open on Friday, 23 August and remain open until 25 August.

Last month Jason Micallef had called for wider reform within the party, stating the CEO post should be replaced with Secretary General.

The Secretary General post had been removed from Labour in 2010 under former leader Joseph Muscat, and had been replaced with a non-elected CEO role.

READ ALSO: Former Labour mayor mulls deputy leadership run, against statute change