United Bermuda Party Leader Kim Swan yesterday rebuked his outspoken deputy Trevor Moniz, reprimanding him: "This is not the time or forum for politicians to beat up on each other."

Mr. Moniz had publicly accused Mr. Swan of a "huge error" in failing to push through reform in the UBP, allowing five MPs to quit in frustration in the past 12 months.

The leader hit back in a statement yesterday, questioning the maverick MP's approach to teamwork and saying his comments did not help the besieged party's cause.

"Trevor has not always been a team player," said Mr. Swan. "He is an immensely capable fellow, smart and tough, and I have seen the value he can bring to the table, but something sometimes prevents him from working as effectively as he can with others."

Mr. Swan said Mr. Moniz should have aired his concerns internally instead of going to The Royal Gazette, but said the UBP had a history of sharing its arguments publicly due to the diversity within the party.

He added that he was envious of the Progressive Labour Party's ability to keep its serious internal divisions out of the public domain.

Mr. Swan said he would continue to work with Mr. Moniz — but also that the UBP's remaining MPs wanted the deputy to be more constructive and supportive of the team.

The statement did not say whether Mr. Moniz would face a disciplinary committee for speaking out against the UBP and the leader; a caucus meeting was said to be taking place last night.

Mr. Moniz faces an uphill battle if he wants to stay in the deputy role Mr. Swan encouraged him to take as a replacement for Cole Simons last October.

It is understood the UBP's parliamentary group, whom Mr. Moniz collectively criticised for being against the drive to transform the party into a viable alternative to the PLP, will elect the deputy at an annual meeting next month.

In yesterday's Royal Gazette, Mr. Moniz said studies on voting patterns showed it was almost impossible for the UBP to win a General Election in its current form — yet instead of leading the bid to transform the party Mr. Swan was sidetracked dealing with issues such as his own faltering poll results.

Reformist MPs Wayne Furbert and Darius Tucker both quit the UBP to sit as independents, before Shawn Crockwell, Donte Hunt and Mark Pettingill resigned to form a new party of their own last week.

Mr. Swan stated last week that the departure of the rebels meant he was now the number one advocate for change in the party; his deputy argued Mr. Swan had initially been among the UBP's conservative group over the issue of reform and had only last week started to re-read the reports which called for change a year ago.

Mr. Moniz has a history of speaking out against his own party, and his comments yesterday came almost exactly ten years after he was suspended from the UBP for not attending caucus meetings. That suspension lasted nearly four years.

At that time, observers said he was being punished for breaking the party line over the McDonald's fast food row and helping push through an Act banning franchise food in Bermuda, while his private members' bill to create a register of interests for MPs was also thought to be unpopular with his colleagues.