The Office of the Prime Minister has put on hold an ultimatum from the Management and Personnel Office to Victor Galea, general secretary of Alternattiva Demokratika, in which he was told that his teaching post in a state school is incompatible with his political position and he has to choose between the two.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister told The Times that the letter to Mr Galea and to two officials of Azzjoni Nazzjonali was issued without the knowledge of the Prime Minister or his secretariate.

They first learned about the letters when they received questions about them from a newspaper.

The two AN officials, Tonio Mercieca and Mary Gauci, a senior principal and a principal in the public service respectively, have since resigned their political posts while Mr Galea, a teacher, protested, claiming discrimination.

"Somebody decided to go by the book and issued a letter to Mr Galea and the other two, without questioning whether this made sense in this day and age."

"The Office of the Prime Minister has issued instructions for the letter to be suspended and for the position to be reviewed. There are several other people who hold positions in the public service and also occupy political positions," the spokesman said.