The United Bermuda party could be on course for another election defeat despite switching to new leader Wayne Furbert according to the latest polls.

The first sounding since Mr. Furbert replaced Grant Gibbons shows only 28.7 percent rated him favourably while 38.4 percent were unfavourable.

And the figures show support for the PLP has risen with 39.2 percent of voters giving their backing ? up by more than ten per cent from a November poll ? while support for the UBP has risen more than six percent to 28.9 percent. However 25.4 percent had no preference or refused to answer.

The PLP had 42.1 percent of the 18-35 age group in their camp compared to the UBP?s 10.5 percent. In the the 36-54 age group support for the UBP stood at 28.9 percent while the Governing party was ahead with 44.4 percent. Only among the over 55s did the Opposition score more ? picking up 44.1 percent compared to 29 percent for the incumbents.

The poll showed 54.6 percent of blacks backed the Government ? a rise of more than nine percent.

The elevation of Mr. Furbert to the UBP leadership has bolstered white support for the party but has not helped the Opposition pick up much more support among blacks ? only 11.2 percent backed the UBP, up by just 2.2 percent since November.

Only 1.2 percent of whites backed the PLP with 72.9 percent backing the UBP ? up from 48.2 percent in the November poll. Mr. Furbert?s favourability figures are worse than Dr. Gibbons who had 39.5 percent ratings in his last poll before being ousted, although 32.9 percent of respondents had yet to give their verdict on his successor who took over the leadership in mid-January.

The over-55s were the only group to have a majority in favour of Mr. Furbert when asked the same question ? ?What is your overall opinion of Wayne Furbert??.

Support was low among the under 35s with only 22.7 percent in favour while 46.4 percent were unfavourable while the figures for the 36-54 age group were even worse with only 19.3 percent in favour and 47.5 percent unfavourable. The over 55s were 46.8 percent in favour and 19 percent against.

Only 17.1 percent of blacks had a favourable opinion while 54.8 percent were unfavourable with another 28.1 percent undecided.

Whites were in favour by more than two to one according to the telephone poll of 404 people by Research Innovations done from March 11-15, although 38.6 percent had still to make up their minds.

Asked if the appointment of Mr. Furbert would improve the UBP?s chances at the next election 32.9 percent said yes while 37.1 said no. Another 30 percent were undecided.

The findings on Mr. Furbert were slightly contradicted by another question which asked ?How satisfied are you with the appointment of Wayne Furbert as leader of the UBP?? to which 63 percent said they were very satisfied or somewhat satisfied while 36.8 percent were somewhat dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

Premier Alex Scott?s ratings for the way he is handling his job continue to creep up, rising from 33.8 percent to 34.2 percent.

However 52.7 disapprove while 13.1 percent are still undecided more than two and a half years into his Premiership.

Blacks are evenly split but 72.7 percent of whites disapprove of the way he is handling his job.

However asked their overall opinion of Alex Scott 44.1 percent of those polled were favourable while 45.8 percent were unfavourable with 10.1 percent undecided.

Mr. Scott scored better among the under 35s, with a bare majority of 50.5 percent approving of his performance, while older people were more likely to be unfavourable. The poll has a margin of error of 4.9 percent.