Premier Dr. Ewart Brown's list of unlikely rescuers has now grown to two.

Last month former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith saved him from a confidence vote in the Progressive Labour Party caucus that he might well have lost.

And on Friday, former United Bermuda Party MP-turned Independent Wayne Furbert voted in favour of legislation that would force new tow truck operators to pay $50,000 for a permit.

Had Mr. Furbert voted the other way, or if the two absent United Bermuda Party MPs had been present, committee chairman Walter Lister would have been able to issue a casting vote and would no doubt have supported the Government.

But the fact that Dr. Brown would have this close an escape on a relatively uncontroversial bill shows how vulnerable he is. With 21 MPs on the PLP side, to only be able to rustle up 12 MPs for a vote is pretty embarrassing.

That's not to say that the debate on the bill was not valid. The Opposition argued that $50,000 is a high barrier to entry for people wanting to enter the tow truck business, especially in a recession, and it is curious to see the Progressive Labour Party taking the part of protecting existing businesses from new competition while giving existing businesses a windfall profit should they wish to sell their permits on. On the other hand, similar high permit fees exist for other transportation businesses, so an argument was made that this was not totally unjustified.

Still, the UBP can easily justify their opposition to this bill, and this kind of justification is necessary as Dr. Brown and his supporters will try to say that every vote by the UBP and the MPs who absent themselves from the House on the PLP side is a matter of putting politics before country.

In the weeks and months to come, that is how this debate will play out, and it has already been seen to great effect over allowing gambling on cruise ships while they are in port, with Dr. Brown's supporters saying that this will cost the Island enormously.

It will be harder for Dr. Brown to make that case over the bill that will exempt him from tabling leases for less than 21 years in Parliament, although there is talk that that may be modified.

But this unquestionably is how the debates will play out, and this debate on truck permits is just the first skirmish in what will be a long campaign. What is noteworthy is how close the Government came to defeat on an issue where there was not much at stake.

Indeed, Dr. Brown appeared to be taken by surprise, since he was not in the House for the debate, which was steered by Acting Premier El James and several other key Ministers, including Finance Minister Paula Cox were absent as well.

That kind of carelessness may prove to be costly in the future, and that goes for both parties. If the PLP wants to avoid an embarrassing defeat it will have to ensure that as may of its MPs as possible are present. But if the UBP want to win a vote, it will have to be certain that its MPs are in the House as well – two were missing on Friday.

For both sides, this will be critical when the vote on gaming takes place. Dr. Brown has already been forced to allow a free vote on a Government bill (as opposed to a Private Member's bill), which is almost unheard of, and several PLP MPs have already said they will vote against it. So the chances of defeat on that bill are very real.