Turncoat St. George's South Government MP Grace Bell yesterday crossed the floor to join the Opposition.

And the House of Assembly opening day bombshell cuts the United Bermuda Party's working majority to just one.

The shock defection -- only two days after Premier Pamela Gordon unveiled her new-look Cabinet -- is sure to dent the credibility of the ruling United Bermuda Party.

Mrs. Bell, dressed in the green-and-white colours of the PLP, told the House she jumped ship because she did not believe the UBP served the interests of her constituency or addressed the concerns of "ordinary, working people.'' Mrs. Bell told the House: "This decision has not come lightly...I have searched my conscience and my soul over several years.'' She added: "It's hoped the voters of St. George's South and the voters as a whole will appreciate that this is consistent with my belief that Bermuda would be better served with the new Progressive Labour Party.'' And she said: "After much soul-searching over the issues, the issues of ordinary Bermudians and the plight of many of the people, whether in business or a graduate who cannot get a job in this Country, or the ordinary man, I had to do this for my conscience's sake.'' But Mrs. Bell -- elected to the crucial marginal in 1985 -- said she would not test her move with the electorate in a by-election.

She added: "At this stage, with the closeness of a General Election, I really didn't want to do that to the Premier.'' Mrs. Bell has never held a Ministerial post and was passed over again in Wednesday's reshuffle.

But she insisted her shock move was made "without rancour'' and had nothing to do with her failure to win Cabinet rank.

Mrs. Bell's defection is understood to have come as a complete surprise to the Premier, who spoke with her MP only a day before she transferred allegiance to the PLP.

A clearly shocked Premier said: "Mrs. Bell gave me her word -- that's all you can go on with any person.

"Either her word was not good or she has had a change of mind.'' Mrs. Bell said just after she was welcomed on to the PLP side of the House that she could have made the same speech at the end of the last Parliament.

But she added: "I wasn't keen to do this any earlier this year out of respect to the Premier.

"There was a point I thought I could stay and that was yesterday afternoon.

"I really did want to tell the Premier before today and yesterday I almost backed off -- but I felt I had to go with my conscience.'' On Thursday night, Mrs. Bell refused to confirm or deny she would swap sides.

And she said yesterday she had not been offered any Shadow position with the Opposition.

But she added: "Wherever I might be able to serve at the time, I would be happy to do that.'' Opposition leader Jennifer Smith said the party had not yet decided whether Mrs. Bell would run for the PLP in her current seat at the General Election.

She added: "You can't take anything for granted -- this has just happened and we will now discuss what might happen.'' Ms Smith said: "I have no doubt that Mrs. Bell's decision today was from a genuine concern about the future of this Country in general and the well-being of women and working-class Bermudians in particular.

"I salute Grace Bell for her courage -- this choice was, I'm sure, the result of long and careful examination of her conscience.'' She added: "I have always had the highest regard for her honesty and integrity and I believe that her decision to join the Progressive Labour Party comes from a genuine desire to assist in delivering better opportunities and quality of life for ordinary Bermudians.'' Ms Smith said: "I speak on behalf of the entire Progressive Labour Party when I say that we welcome Mrs. Bell into our membership.'' But Premier Pamela Gordon was putting a brave face on Mrs. Bell's defection.

She said: "We live in a democracy which basically gives Mrs. Bell the right of political choice.

"If she was unhappy with the United Bermuda Party and felt it necessary to change, then I think she's done both herself and the party a favour because it would not be fair for her to sit among us and not feel she could support our position.

"I need people who are committed and believe in what we are doing.'' Mr. Bell's running mate, Government Whip Rick Spurling, said he was "shocked'' by the defection -- and predicted a backlash in the constituency.

He added: "It's a very serious decision and I don't think it's in her interests in the long term -- generally actions of that kind don't meet with favour with Bermudians.'' Already pencilled in by the PLP for St. George's South are Rev. Larry Lowe and Arthur Pitcher.

Favourites to replace Mrs. Bell as Mr. Spurling's running mate include ex-parcel firm boss and Regiment officer Eddie Lamb or the Rev. Leonard Santucci, who once held the area's AME parish of St. Luke's.