The 56-year-old’s appointment to the pound;67,317-a-year post with the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers was confirmed last week. There was one other applicant.

Mr Bartlett, a former special needs teacher, had been assistant general secretary of the union since 1997 and was appointed acting deputy after the death of Eamonn O’Kane, general secretary, last year. Mr Bartlett quit the Labour Party after becoming disillusioned with Tony Blair but backs a close working relationship with government.

The National Union of Teachers announces the result of its deputy general secretary election today. Front-runner is John Bangs, its head of education, who stood unsuccessfully for the leadership last year. His rival for the Pounds 70,000-a-year post is Christine Blower, a former NUT president who is backed by its left-wing factions.

Mick Brookes, the Nottinghamshire head challenging the National Association of Head Teachers’ official leadership candidate has been denied equal space on its website to promote his bid.

After an article appeared on the site explaining why the executive had chosen Brighton and Hove’s head of children, families and schools, David Hawker, to replace David Hart, Mr Brookes asked for equal space. But Mr Hart, also the NAHT’s solicitor, said it had no legal obligation to provide it until the start of the election.