Labour deputy leader for party affairs Michael Falzon last night admitted to a TV interviewer that one of Labour's billboards used during the electoral campaign was, in his view, libellous.

Dr Falzon, a lawyer by profession and a contender for the top party leadership post, said he had voiced his opinion against the billboard at the highest level of the party but it was put up anyway.

He was referring to the billboard that carried the word "corruption" and featured photos of the Prime Minister, nine ministers and two parliamentary secretaries.

Shortly after the billboard was erected, libel suits were instituted against the Malta Labour Party by all those it implicated. Claims of corruption was one of the main planks of the Labour campaign.

Dr Falzon made the admission during the discussion programme Realtà on Smash TV last night.

He said he had not agreed with some of the billboards, especially the one on corruption which "cost" the party several libel suits.

"Apart from being in bad taste, the billboard was libellous and I said it immediately. During a meeting I was told - and this I took as an insult - that I had a conflict of interest and the agreement was that they should seek legal advice on the matter from someone who was more proficient in libel cases.

"I do not know if that advice was sought, but all I know is that the billboard was put up and cost us 16 libel suits," he said.

Presenter Brian Hansford also asked Dr Falzon about the leakage of personal data relating to Labour delegates to the newspaper MaltaToday, which then ran a survey among the delegates about their preference for Labour leader.

An angry Dr Falzon said he had written to the party's electoral office asking it to investigate the matter as well as to the Discipline and Vigilance Board.

"What is even more disgusting about the leak is that whoever gave them the information - and it must be a person at the heart of the party - indicated who of that list should be called and who should not. People who I know support me were not called," he claimed.

On Sunday, the leak came under fire from both Dr Falzon and Marie Louise Coleiro-Preca, another leadership contender.