Finance Minister Paula Cox has refused to rule out a run for the Deputy Leadership of the Progressive Labour Party.

The post will soon become vacant as current party number two Ewart Brown is now challenging leader Alex Scott in a make or break bid which will see him retire from politics if unsuccessful.

PLP insiders predict that Finance Minister Paula Cox, who some factions want to run for the top job, will step into the Deputy Leader?s position.

One Cabinet Minister said it would make her heir apparent when Mr. Scott finally stepped down. The Minister said: ?It is inevitable, it is going to happen. She is only in her early forties so she?s in great shape. That?s what prompted Dr. Brown, he is 60 and time is running out.?

One source said Dr. Brown would welcome Ms Cox as deputy leader as it would help shore up the loyalist wing of the party who had backed Dame Jennifer Smith and then Alex Scott in recent leadership struggles.

Dr. Brown has already indicated he does not intend to stay long as Premier if elected. Ms Cox again declined to comment about her leadership ambitions when contacted this week.

Several MPs noted how ?cloak and dagger? the campaign had been. One said: ?Everyone is keeping their cards close to their chest.?

However many in the party said there was a lot of jockeying for positions going on with deals being hatched in order to garner votes. Dr. Brown has denied rumours that Derrick Burgess will be his running mate.

And he indicated he won?t run on a joint ticket with anybody on October 27. Political pundit Walton Brown said PLP elections had not traditionally seen running mates or ?tickets? of candidates for different posts.