Opposition MP Josè Herrera yesterday told this newspaper that he was withdrawing his candidacy for the position of Malta Labour Party deputy leader for party affairs.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, the lawyer said he had decided to withdraw from the contest.

Asked for the reason why, Dr Herrera cited personal reasons.

He emphasised that it had nothing to do with any in-fighting or any form of protest at the election of new leader Joseph Muscat. “I have decided to pull out for personal reasons not related to politics,” he said.

TMID contacted MLP secretary general Jason Micallef for his reaction to the news, but he said he did not know of the MP’s decision to withdraw from the contest.

Dr Herrera later released a statement confirming his intention to withdraw, saying that he felt he could serve both his party and the country better through his work as an MP.

Dr Herrera was elected from the first district with 599 first-count votes. He was elected on the 15th count. He has been an MP since 1996 and has been an opposition spokesman on various fields in various parliamentary legislatures.