Prime Minister Joseph Muscat today announced that he will be pushing for a policy change within the Labour Party that will allow Toni Abela's successor at deputy leader for party affairs to be a sitting MP.

Speaking during a political activity, Dr Muscat spoke of the need to modernise the PL's structures in the wake of Dr Abela's departure to the Court of Auditors.

"One impediment was that the deputy leader for party affairs cannot contest the general election or be a Member of Parliament. I believe the idea served us well in past years, but the time has come to remove the idea that the PL and parliamentary group work separately."

Dr Muscat said he will be meeting with the PL's executive tomorrow ahead of a vote on his proposal during an extraordinary general meeting next week.

"The person filling Toni Abela's shoes has to be ready to modernise the party and its structures," Dr Muscat said.

He called the eventual appointment of Dr Abela's successor a "new chapter" for the Labour Party, saying it is an opportunity for the Party to update its organisational structures in order to better reflect its role as a Party in government.

He called on the Opposition to support Dr Abela's appointment to the Court of Auditors.