Breakaway MP Mark Pettingill is squaring up for a fight with two loyalists of his old party he believes are hoping to pinch his seat in the House of Assembly.

United Bermuda Party Senator Jeanne Atherden and interim party chairman Jeff Sousa are speakers at a special UBP meeting in Mr. Pettingill's Warwick West constituency tomorrow night.

It's thought UBP diehards will use the event to vent their spleen against Mr. Pettingill's decision to quit and form a new party with defecting colleagues Shawn Crockwell and Donte Hunt last week.

Mr. Pettingill — who plans to stand as an MP for the new party in Constituency 28 at the next General Election — says he expects Sen. Atherden and Mr. Sousa both have ambitions to run for the UBP in what has been one of its safe seats.

Both have strong family connections in the area and, according to Mr. Pettingill, both have started showing their faces locally since he was suspended for refusing to vote in the motion of no confidence against Premier Ewart Brown's Government this summer.

The former Shadow Attorney General said he would not be attending tomorrow's meeting as he had not been invited by the UBP, but challenged Sen. Atherden and Mr. Sousa to a public debate on local issues instead.

A UBP spokesman said calls for a special meeting began immediately after the motion of no confidence, but it was delayed because of summer holiday hold-ups. He said it was called to address "parliamentary performance concerns".

Mr. Pettingill told The Royal Gazette: "I'm certainly not surprised to see Jeff Sousa and Jeanne Atherden selected. They both will be gagging to get into that seat.

"I would extend an invitation to debate with any UBP candidates in that area on the issues like crime or anything else.

"I plan to stay in that constituency. I have got things done in that area because I believe I have a better way in Opposition of getting things done. It's the ability to not just be antagonistic — to deal with people like Derrick Burgess who you may be opposed to in the House, but I have the ability to call him and get things done."

Mr. Pettingill said he had also been praised by Opposition Leader Kim Swan for his contribution as a legislator.

He said of the reaction of his constituents since he departed the UBP: "There hasn't been one negative comment from anybody with regard to what I have done. Hard-core UBP people have called to say they understand the steps I have taken.

"I had to smile to see this meeting was taking place on the 28th. When I had a town hall meeting last year, not one of those people were there.

"Jeff Sousa, Mr. Environment, he wasn't at that meeting. Jeff Sousa wouldn't let me use his Sousa Landscape yard for a clinic. That's how supportive he was of me and the UBP in the community.

"I challenge them to say whether they will get anybody new in the room, anyone new and dynamic and not just looking to get a safe seat."

Mr. Pettingill said of Mr. Sousa's rise to replace defecting Sean Pitcher as interim party chairman: "It's a shallow pool that they have to draw on so of course you are going to see people shooting up through the ranks.

"There are some very capable people, but the rest are wallowing in an abyss of mediocrity. They cannot draw new, young dynamic Bermudians into their room."

Sen. Atherden and Mr. Sousa did not respond to calls yesterday, but a UBP spokesman said: "The Warwick West meeting on Thursday is being held to address constituency issues and parliamentary performance concerns.

"Calls for the meeting were first aired following the House of Assembly vote on the Uighur decision in June. The United Bermuda Party constitution requires five paid-up members to call for a special meeting before it can happen. The last of the five was made in late August and, due to summer holiday hold-ups, Thursday's meeting is the follow-on to that.

"Mrs. Atherden and Mr. Sousa are speaking at the meeting because they are Warwick-based representatives for the party — Mrs. Atherden as a Senator and Mr. Sousa as interim party chairman."

Tomorrow's meeting takes place at St. Mary's Church Hall, from 7 p.m., with Mr. Swan as guest speaker and addresses from Sen. Atherden and Mr. Sousa. All constituents are invited.