Former United Bermuda Party chairman Gwyneth Rawlins revealed last night that she warned Wayne Furbert a year ago that Michael Dunkley was “out to get him”.

Ms Rawlins, who resigned her post in January because of an alleged white elite running the Opposition, told The Royal Gazette: “I remember saying to him very clearly ‘you are not in a safe place. Be careful. Watch your back. Michael Dunkley is out to get you’. That was probably in the first quarter after he was elected in January 2006.”

Mr. Furbert resigned as party leader on Thursday after months of speculation about his future. Deputy Leader Mr. Dunkley, who is tipped to be his successor, said last night that Ms Rawlins’ claims about him were without foundation.

“It’s obvious that Ms Rawlins still has a lot of anger about what transpired and that’s why she’s hitting out now,” he said.

Ms Rawlins, 58, said Mr. Furbert’s resignation after pressure to quit from his own parliamentary group did not shock her. “I wasn’t surprised because I had begun to notice several people behaving as if they were interested in the position for themselves and one of them was Michael Dunkley. This was months ago.

“He was pushing himself out in front a lot. I thought as Wayne’s deputy he would have behaved more like the second in charge than the first in charge.”

She alleged that Mr. Furbert ditched his supporters within the party after he took the top job and began to align himself with his former opponents — a move she claims ultimately led to his demise.

“If you were to ask me what I think was the crux of his (Wayne’s) downfall it was a bit of naivety,” she said. “In addition to the naivety, Wayne began to place more stock and more confidence in persons who did not necessarily support him in the race to become leader.

“Once he became leader those persons who did not support him all of a sudden became the persons that he looked to for advice, that he shared things with. Those of us who were his allies and who helped him to get there and who voted for him and placed their trust in him, he turned his back on them.”

Mr. Furbert denied the allegation last night. “Gwyneth knows that’s absolutely not correct,” he said. “Far from it.” He agreed that she had warned him about Mr. Dunkley and others plotting against him.

Ms Rawlins described how Mr. Furbert — whom she considered a friend — began to distance himself from her and others. “If I would ask to see documents, for instance, his answer would be ‘I’m not showing that to anybody’ but he would show them to Michael Dunkley and David Dodwell.”

Mr. Dodwell, the Shadow Tourism Minister, was the spokesman for seven UBP MPs who signed a motion of no confidence in Mr. Furbert earlier this month.

Ms Rawlins said: “I would place David Dodwell in the same category as Michael Dunkley. I remember specifically saying to him (Wayne), David Dodwell is not your friend. His response to me was ‘you don’t know what you are talking about’.

“I had already begun to pick up that certain of his colleagues were indeed not behaving as though they were his friends. They were playing a game.”

Mr. Dodwell said: “I completely reject what Gwyneth Rawlins is saying. Wayne Furbert knows that this period of time has been particularly difficult for me because I count him still as a very, very close friend.”

Ms Rawlins described Mr. Furbert’s resignation as “unfortunate” but claimed he became complacent as soon as he became leader.

“He did talk about the things he wanted to do to bring about change for Bermuda. He may not have aligned himself with the right people in order to realise those dreams.”

She said she did not believe Mr. Dunkley’s “autocratic” style nor the “combative and confrontational politics” of Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin - who is expected to become Deputy Leader - would help win the next election.

She added that Mr. Dunkley’s “white aristocratic” background would be off-putting to many black voters. “People are tired of those type of leaders and so that’s a big minus,” she said. “Michael is very arrogant.”

Ms Rawlins said she would prefer to see Maxwell Burgess become leader — though the senior MP has confirmed he will not run and will retire at the next general election.

“Personally, I don’t think this party has a chance of winning this election no matter who their leader is,” she said. “The United Bermuda Party has not come anywhere near changing the perception of who they really are.”

Mr. Dunkley said: “Ms Rawlins is entitled to her opinion. I think the truth of it all is a different matter. I’d just like to compare that with how Mr. Furbert has conducted himself in this business.” He added that he would be happy to sit down with her to talk things over. “Maybe we can get some healing,” he said.

Mr. Dodwell added: “I’m disappointed with her comments but I understand them because she’s still bitter and still angry at the party so I think what she’s saying is in the context of the past and her bitterness. Wayne Furbert knows the truth behind this.”

‘Dunkley is out to get you’