Labour’s TV boss, Jason Micallef, should resign from his post or be made to go once he has become an election candidate, according to Alfred Mifsud, who once occupied the seat.

While Labour leader Joseph Muscat yesterday tried to steer away from the controversy, saying that this was not a national issue, Labour sources indicated that pressure was mounting on Dr Muscat to bite the bullet and ask his flamboyant One TV chairman to step down.

A former Mid-Med Bank chairman and ex-Labour Party strategist, Mr Mifsud had to resign as chairman of One TV in 2002 before announcing that he would be contesting on Labour’s list. The election he unsuccessfully contested was held in April 2003, more than a year after his resignation.

With an election around the corner, Mr Micallef remains in his post and, according to party sources, is refusing to follow suit.

When contacted yesterday about the matter, Mr Micallef would only say that he was not willing to discuss his full-time job in public.

“I think that what applied to me should apply to him,” Mr Mifsud said yesterday when asked about Mr Micallef’s position.

“In my case, the Labour leadership had insisted that there was a conflict of interest between being in control of the party’s media machine and standing for election. These were the rules and the rules should apply to everyone,” he said.

Alfred Sant, who headed the party in 2001, would not comment on Mr Micallef’s position. “I don’t want to comment on internal party affairs,” he said.

Labour deputy leader Angelo Farrugia toed the party line, saying that he had no problem with Mr Micallef staying on as chairman until the start of the official campaign. Asked yesterday whether Mr Micallef should resign or be made to step down, Dr Muscat avoided giving a direct reply only saying that “good sense should prevail”.