aspiring US president Al Gore's campaign, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

And the news means that Bermuda will still have a friend at court after President Clinton if current vice-president Gore steps up to the top White House job.

Mr. Farmer -- speaking from his new home in Miami in an exclusive interview -- confirmed: "I will be vice-president of Al Gore's campaign.

"My last official day as Consul General is on Monday and on Tuesday I'm having lunch with President Clinton.'' Mr. Farmer raised millions for Mr. Clinton's first presidential run -- and was later appointed US Consul General in Bermuda, one of the few political diplomatic appointments in the US system.

And he is known to have pushed Bermuda's case at the highest levels of the US government.

He is understood to have backed Bermuda over compensation -- estimated at around $60m -- for the mess left at the old bases when the US Navy weighed anchor and pulled out.

Mr. Farmer -- in line to head Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry's bid for the Democratic nomination for president if he had decided to run -- added he would also be working for Sen. Kerry, raising funds for his next Senate campaign.

He said: "I'll be helping both Al Gore and John Kerry -- I've also been invited to join several boards of directors and I'm looking forward to enjoying a little bit of privacy.'' Mr. Farmer added: "I'm looking forward to my new role -- but I won't forget Bermuda.

"I had a wonderful experience on the Island and I'm looking forward to coming back often -- but not in an official capacity, just as a visitor.'' Farmer to help Al Gore Mr. Farmer explained he wanted a low-key departure from the Island after a round of official functions when his original three-year term ran out 18 months ago.

He said: "When I was supposed to be leaving, there were a lot of dinner parties. I swore then that when I did leave, I'd leave quietly.

"But I so much enjoyed Bermuda and all the friends I had -- I want to thank them all.'' The Royal Gazette revealed earlier this year that Mr. Farmer was set to quit after four-and-half years as the official US government representative on the Island.

Multi-millionaire Mr. Farmer has spent much of the time since Christmas off the Island.

The Royal Gazette reported that Mr. Farmer was increasingly frustrated over the US government's failure to name a successor.

And he is known to have been unhappy at the decision to sell Chelston -- the official Consul's mansion, set in 14 acres in Paget.

Insiders said he was reluctant to go through the trouble of moving to a new, smaller property when he was set to be replaced at any time. His successor is expected to be wealthy Chicago nightclub owner Larry Owen, a lawyer and businessman from East Lancing, Michigan. The appointment will be announced in the next few weeks.

Mr. Owen and wife Faylene, like Mr. Farmer, shot to national prominence in the US as big-money fund-raisers for the Democrats.

The move came after several big names turned the job down -- including another Democratic fund-raiser, Nebraska businessman Vin Gupta, who snubbed the Island in favour of the US Ambassadorship to Fiji.

Bob Farmer