Warned by his PLP friends this coming election will be a "bloodbath", the United Bermuda Party chairman has no reason to doubt them after his drug dealing past was raised again by former colleague who branded him as being just one rung above a paedophile.

The slur, delivered by defector Jamahl Simmons to a cheering crowd of PLP supporters, was the latest broadside following a theme started by Premier Ewart Brown.

But Mr. Crockwell won't be running for cover even though he could have easily opted for the quiet life after completing his rehabilitation and achieving his goal of becoming a fully-qualified solicitor last year and landing a great job.

However, his heart overruled his head when he was offered the job as UBP Chairman. "Now my life seems to be embroiled in this continual firestorm of politics."

He said the headlines following Mr. Simmons' attack had made for a difficult day but he wasn't about to run away.

"Sometimes circumstances choose individuals and I think this was where circumstances chose me because I have the personality to deal with the struggle.

"My son is an apprentice at Air Care and he listened all afternoon on the radio in his truck and came home and said 'Daddy, they really tried to eat you alive today'. It bothers me that my son has to be exposed to some of the bile that is coming out. But we will consistently remain positive and focused. But it is galvanizing my support and exposing the true character of that organisation."

Mr. Crockwell said following the attack by Mr. Simmons, he had been overwhelmed with support wherever he went with well-wishers urging him to carry on.

"This is primarily from the black community who are disappointed this is the direction this election is taking.

"They somehow see this attack as unwarranted and I need to take the high road and conduct myself with dignity and grace. Was I outraged? Absolutely, because I don't ever recall calling Jamahl Simmons lazy but if that precipitated the type of venom and vile which came out of his mouth, then we are heading down a very rough road. But it is galvanizing my support."

He said PLP insiders were telling him the election will be a bloodbath.

"It's been a warning that individuals in your party, who don't have the stomach for this, may want to reconsider because it is going to be a bloodbath and it is going to get really ugly.

"We have seen public pronouncements by Walton Brown and Jamahl Simmons. Then we saw a plea by the Chief of Staff Wayne Caines saying it doesn't have to be a nasty campaign."

Indeed Mr. Caines told this newspaper he still backed Mr. Crockwell, who is former high school classmate and college room-mate, despite their political differences. He said: "Shawn is a young man who is doing something in his community. Bermuda has to evolve away from personal politics."

And Mr. Crockwell said: "I think the younger generation doesn't believe it has to be personal. We can debate about the issues in a dignified manner. It doesn't have to get down to where you are trying to publicly humiliate and assassinate people's character."

Mr. Crockwell said the high road had been championed by former leader Wayne Furbert who said, if there was a talented person on the other side, he would consider them for Cabinet.

"If I was ever in a position to be Premier I would consider the likes of Charles Richardson and Wayne Caines, if they were willing to serve in my Cabinet. It doesn't benefit anyone to ostracise them because they happen to be on the other side of the fence. But now we are witnessing a style of politics I don't think Bermuda has seen before."

He said while John Swan and Freddie Wade had been adversaries they had stayed friends and had socialised together.

"Now the line has been drawn, it's us versus them. At the end of the day after the carnage it will leave a political climate of hostility which I don't believe is going to be beneficial for the country.

"Maybe this is the American style the Premier is accustomed to. He has spent most of his time overseas and we can see what happens in the US. People get destroyed if they enter into politics. It's not going to happen at all in attracting individuals into the fray. Who wants to endure this type of unwarranted attack?

"But it is interesting he has a son who is incarcerated at the moment. I wonder what his son thinks about these approaches and attacks? If there is anyone who he wants to talk to his son, I should be on the top of the list because I can share with him my story and how he can empower himself to not allow his current situation to dictate his future. It comes as a huge surprise that someone in this situation would feel that way.

"I am tough enough to deal with it. Premier Ewart Brown needs to know and his cronies need to know, the likes of Jamahl Simmons, LaVerne Furbert and Rolfe Commissiong that I am not afraid of them or will be intimidated by them.

"That's just reality. My life's experiences have toughened me up, I am not going to run for cover.

"That's why they are a little perturbed by me because I cannot be bought and I will not be deterred."

The PLP attack is a sign of desperation, believes Mr. Crockwell. "Having Jamahl Simmons do it is a clear sign of desperation. Then to go personal while having a Premier who talks about rehabilitation and who went down to the prison as a gesture that he is going to support those who want to move forward and be positive?"

While the PLP have said the revival of the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal is a personal attack, Mr. Crockwell said it was about conduct in public office.

"This is the modus operandi of this leadership. They will take whatever they can and misconstrue it for their own benefit. The BHC has nothing to do with anyone else but the people involved in the BHC. And the Premier and others involved had every opportunity to answer the allegations.

"But this is the same leader who politically assassinated Jennifer Smith in the late hours of the night after the election victory in collusion with his colleagues. It is the same man who looked his leader Alex Scott in the eye and said 'I will not challenge you' but at night he had his cohorts out canvassing and trying to change the hearts of the PLP faithful.

"It is the same man who admitted he had to mislead the electorate in order to win an election. So, anything he does is suspect as far as I am concerned. And I believe the people of this country recognise that he will use the media spin.

"We are seeing people who are going to manipulate information and try to use every opportunity to make this thing into a racial situation and the question is going to be whether or not Bermudians are going to allow it to happen again."

With the nation again polarised, according to Mr. Crockwell's analysis, he was asked what would stop the PLP from winning again.

He said: "The hard core PLP supporters are enjoying what's happening right now. But there is a contingent of black supporters out there who are uncomfortable. It worked in 2003 and people responded in expectation that the PLP would deliver and they would be assisted. But once bitten, twice shy."

He said the swing voters wouldn't again respond to a racially-charged message.

Recently the Opposition has been campaigning on good governance likely to appeal to its core voters but not so interesting for those worrying about their next rent payment.

He said that stance had been necessary because of the BHC scandal.

"But I can guarantee you that we recognise our message is not resonating with the electorate that need to hear and know we are here to help them. We hear their cry."

He said candidates like Gina Spence-Farmer and Austin Warner were not about to forget the struggle of ordinary people.

Asked if the downtrodden would really vote UBP or more likely just not vote at all he said: "For 30 years, they voted for us so I don't see why want to now think it is now impossible to get the vote of 15-20 percent of the black community.

"I have had die-hard PLP members come to me and say 'I am voting UBP'. I haven't even solicited them, they have stopped me on the street and said: 'I have seen enough. I am joining you guys. Now you may not see me at your rally but when I get inside that ballot booth I am putting my 'X' next to the United Bermuda Party.

"Because people remember the 1980s, they remember a time when Bermuda was not as polarised as it is today. It was prosperous. We weren't perfect but they remember a time when business was done at a high standard and everything wasn't based on the colour of someone's skin.

"Yes, we are prospering financially now but people feel as if they are living under a continuous cloud of tension and antagonism and they don't like it.

"We live in a racially tense community and I believe we need to have a sincere truth and reconciliation process in this country. We need to start the process of healing ourselves racially."

The Opposition is now in the quandary of assessing when it should put out its agenda. "If we put out our platform now, the Premier might decide to take a couple of things and implement them before he calls the election. We have to remain strategic."

Many have claimed Opposition leader Michael Dunkley's decision to pick a business trip over attending Dame Lois Browne's funeral was a huge gaffe UBP MP Maxwell Burgess went as far as to predict Mr. Dunkley we not be re-elected on the back of that.

Mr. Crockwell said Mr. Dunkley had tried to pick a date which would not clash with the funeral but had been unlucky when the two events coincided. And he said Mr. Dunkley was interested in opening up to people.

"He has invited young black voters into his home on a regular basis a continuing session of people he doesn't know who want to get to know him better. It has been extremely successful. And Michael would go down Court Street at anytime, down to the Fish Hut, and have some lunch and interact with people."

Mr. Crockwell noted that the most recent opinion poll was the first one that had put the party ahead. "We have been trailing all along, now post the BHC situation we have a lead. We are not going to sit on that and take any foolish comfort in that.

"We are just going to continue to work hard and reach the electorate, which we may not effectively be doing. We have enough time to still let them know we are here to champion their needs."

And while the Opposition seeks to build up trust, Mr. Crockwell has his own work to do in winning over those who remember his criminal past when he stole $600,000 from a Supreme Court safe while working as a clerk there.

He said: "It's an ongoing journey."

And he added all former criminals have to face up to their past every day. "You cannot do good for five or ten years and expect people to forget. If there is anyone who should be trusted, it's me because I can't afford even the simplest of slip-ups."

He said he had worked at Bermuda Motors where he had handled thousands of dollars on a regular basis. "No one could ever say there was any concern or question about how I handled my duties there. You can rest assured, if I was in charge of a Government ministry even a pencil is not going to go missing under my stewardship because I know the scrutiny when it comes to me is ten-fold compared to other individuals but sure there are going to be people who are not going to allow me to live down my past but I can't allow other people to define who I am.

"I know who I am and the people most important to me know who I am."

Mr. Crockwell said it wasn't fashionable to be black and a member of the UBP.

"It is very easy to join the Government when you have the glitz and the glamour but it is the true test of a person's character and sincerity when you join the Opposition because you want a better Bermuda."