A loud calypso version of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow was playing as Michael Dunkley made his way out of the United Bermuda Party's post-election party last night — and, if nothing else, it at least drowned out the sound of Progressive Labour Party voters tooting their horns in jubilation along East Broadway.

His arms tightly clutching the shoulders of his two daughters, the former Opposition Leader was repeatedly stopped in his tracks by party members offering a hug and words of commiseration.

Mr. Dunkley left Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute at midnight — ready to call it quits early after a defeat in Smith's North which had clearly stunned his colleagues and given a clear indication of which party would emerge victorious from the General Election.

"I'm doing great," he replied, when asked how he was doing. But his bloodshot eyes suggested otherwise. "I'm very shocked," he said, adding that he never gave up hope until the final tally was given.

"People need to realise that I have a deep empathy for Bermuda and its people and they clearly spoke today. I'm Bermudian, I love this island and I want the best for it."

The 49-year-old said he had no regrets about choosing to tackle a tough seat. "To win the Government you have to win seats. I wasn't a good enough MP to win that seat. That's what happens in life. In life you learn from your shortcomings."

His 20-year-old daughter Christine cut in at that point, determined not to let her father do himself down. "It wasn't that you weren't a good enough MP. It's just that something wasn't right. You both were good MPs. There was nothing you could have done better."

Her words were echoed again and again inside the BUEI, where election candidates were at pains to stress their admiration for a leader who put his neck on the line.

Kim Swan, a man who has been trying to get into the House of Assembly for half of his 50 years, was finally triumphant in St. George's West. But the win was bittersweet.

"I want to say how proud I am of Michael Dunkley," he said. "Michael Dunkley did what a great leader would do — he led from the front. You don't find too many men who will give up a safe seat."

The gathering at BUEI — "party" may be too strong a word for what took place there — was undoubtedly the start of a lengthy post-mortem on just what went wrong for the UBP.

The place was adorned with blue and yellow balloons and the champagne flowed, but unlike on Court Street, there was no dancing. Scores of party members — and independent candidate Harold Darrell, the self-dubbed Son of the Soil — huddled in groups, earnestly discussing the painful defeat over the upbeat music booming from the loudspeakers.

Former party leader Grant Gibbons said "reeling" was too strong a word to describe the collective state of mind over the dire result. But he added: "I think we are very disappointed. We ran a really good campaign and I think Michael was certainly very courageous to run and reach out in that seat.

"This was not our time again but as Harold Wilson once said, 'a week is a long time in politics'. Things change."

Things may have to change for the UBP, as one of the night's losers, David Dodwell, was quick to admit. While other MPs visibly winced when asked if the party might now be considered unelectable after three straight losses, he said: "I have always advocated that the party needed to undergo major structural change and I really hope that that will be considered now."

Of his own defeat at the hands of political newcomer Zane DeSilva in Southampton East Central, he said: "I have thoroughly enjoyed the past 14 years.

"I have enjoyed serving the people of Southampton and I have to say that I'm a little worried about the future of Bermuda. Not because of my loss but because of the overall loss of the party."

Pat Gordon-Pamplin, the party's deputy leader and a likely contender for the leadership, said she too had concerns about what the result meant for Bermuda.

The 57-year-old, whose face registered utter disbelief when she was informed of Mr. Dunkley's defeat after her own win in Paget West, had gathered herself by the time she got to BUEI.

"Reality hits me pretty quickly," she said. "I'm extremely pragmatic. The disappointment is not going to get any less but the people get the government they deserve.

"I just hope that the future Government is held accountable more so than the last one. I just hate to think that the electorate has set aside standards of expectation. I think they are saying, 'we don't care that people will spend our money without telling us. We have just thrown out rules and regulations'. It's painful that we, as a people, don't care."