Ewart Brown's leadership is becoming a vote loser say PLP insiders who fear supporters will stay at home on polling day meaning the party could lose MPs or even its grip on power.

One senior PLP MP said the noise about Dr. Brown was becoming more and more prevalent in canvassing.

"They say 'I still support the party but..." then they talk about the leadership."

But the MP said it looked like Dr. Brown was safe – for now. "I am 99 percent sure there will be no change. I think the party is solid and united.

"It would be foolhardy to attempt a leadership review at this time but in the future who knows?

"Dr. Brown has recommended a formula for doing something after the election."

In an e-mail sent to MPs and leaked to The Royal Gazette the Premier had urged MPs to unite behind him.

And he added: "There will be plenty of time for you to attempt leadership changes AFTER the victory, but let's get the victory first!"

Asked if it was likely the party would again change its leader – just like it dumped Jennifer Smith after she won the 2003 election, the MP said: "If the result is satisfactory, whatever that means, I think the party will stay with him.

"If it's less? The Premier promised 30 seats, if it is drastically less there might be a review."

The backbencher said he had seen no attempt to oust Dr. Brown but there had been a softening of support by the MPs who had backed him when he defeated Alex Scott for the leadership contest a year ago.

However, one Cabinet Minister said last night that Dr. Brown was secure in his job.

"I think he is strong. Of course he is. I think he cemented his position with that banquet speech."

And another MP said the positive support for the Premier on the doorstep outweighed the critics.

But one staunch PLP supporter said canvassers were continually running into a hard-core anti-Brown voters upset by the Bermuda Housing Corporation saga.

"People are saying 'I don't like Dr. Brown, I don't like what he's doing, I am not going to vote' because they are annoyed and disgusted with him. But the leader isn't the party. It's getting a little scary."

The source said PLP canvassers were spending all their time on the doorstep fruitlessly trying to persuade the Brown critics by blaming the media when they would be better off shifting the subject to the Government's achievements.

Fearing voter apathy could turn the election, the source said stay-at-home supporters were effectively leaving the decision on who should run the country in the hands of someone else, particularly with seats changing hands for a handful of votes.

In the last election, if 80 people had switched to the UBP in five key seats the Opposition would have got back in power at the first attempt.

Fearing the PLP could be turfed out – not because of its record but because of a personality – the source, who has a long history in the PLP, said: "He may be a doer but it's the baggage. You started with two bags, now you have 20 suitcases.

"It's terrible. If someone had integrity they would say for the good of the party I will stand down. A true leader would do that and say 'I am not saying I admit I did something wrong'."

"A lot of things are tied like the PLP is Dr. Brown but the PLP is bigger than that."

The source hoped MPs would act now and change the leader before it was too late.

"It only takes two or three households to change the course of history."

Several sources told this paper there appeared to be a great deal of apathy among young voters.

And one middle-aged PLP voter said for the first time in her history she won't be casting a vote for her party. "I can't support Ewart and all his craziness.

"I don't think I am odd or rare, I think I am pretty average. I think most people are pretty moderate."

She said those who had moral or ethical dilemmas normally looked to avoidance for a way out so not voting was the perfect answer.

"PLP voters are very passive/aggressive when they are unhappy with what's going on in their party.

"If they are really, really upset they won't vote whereas UBP voters might hate somebody's guts but they still vote party.

"Ewart isn't endearing people enough, things are not right. We don't 'feel the love'."

She believes the election was called to stave off a coup which would have seen Deputy Leader Paula Cox replace Dr. Brown who was alienating black middle class voters while black working class voters were sceptical he's actually a labour leader.

The dissaffected PLP supporter added: "Don't look for me at the polls.

"The best the PLP can ask for is I stay away. If you see me walking up that hill you really are in trouble."