The Premier's executive aide Jamahl Simmons revealed last night that he was quitting at the end of the year — with the hope of running for the PLP at the next election.

The 38-year-old told The Royal Gazette he only ever planned to do the job for a year and has ended up staying for almost two, but was now "just ready to do something else".

"I leave at the end of the year — it's nothing deeper than that," said Mr. Simmons, a former UBP MP. "I have things that I want to do. This job requires 100 percent of your attention and devotion.

"There are things I want to do with my family, things I want to do professionally and things I want to do politically."

Asked to elaborate on his political plans, he said: "All I will say is that I would be very interested in representing the Progressive Labour Party at the next election.

"My entire life, literally from the time I was eight years old, I have always wanted to be involved and serve my country. It's something I have a passion for. My time [as an MP] ended a little earlier than I would like it to."

His resignation comes hot on the heels of the Premier's press secretary Glenn Jones announcing earlier this month that he was stepping down and David Burt quitting as Progressive Labour Party chairman last week.

Mr. Simmons, whose father was a PLP MP, said there was "no connection" between the three resignations and that he remained a committed PLP member.

"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar," he said. "I have got a couple of things I'm going to be doing but I'll leave it at that. There is no controversy or anything. It's just time."

He said a formal announcement would soon be made but he expected his last day working for the Premier to be December 31.

Premier Ewart Brown said last night: "Jamahl Simmons has done well in his post and I am going to miss him. His job was and will be a demanding one. He carried out his duties like the consummate professional that he is. I wish him nothing but the best."

Father-of-two Mr. Simmons, of St. George's, was appointed to the $102,000-a-year executive aide post in February last year.

He replaced lawyer and former senator Wayne Caines, who served as Dr. Brown's chief of staff, as the post used to be called, for less than two years.

Mr. Simmons was elected a UBP MP in a 2002 by-election, after being a member of both the PLP and the National Liberal Party.

But he quit the Opposition in January 2007 after claiming racists in his Pembroke West branch were trying to oust him. He served briefly as an independent in the House of Assembly and rejoined the PLP before the last general election.

He has said little publicly on politics since working for the Premier, but recently spoke on the Everest DeCosta radio talk show about the emerging third political party.

"I gave an analysis of the situation," he said last night. "There was nothing controversial that was said that led to my demise!"