Smith after his heavy defeat last night.

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott said it is up to Mr. Hodgson to consider whether he should resign.

Mr. Hodgson returned to politics after a 15 year absence in 1998 when the PLP was swept to its first ever election win.

But after two years in the Cabinet, he could be out in the political wilderness of the backbenches following the defeat.

Last night, he refused to be drawn on whether he would resign as Environment Minister or whether he expected to be sacked.

And the Premier also refused to speculate on what plans she has for Mr.

Hodgson.

"I am entirely at the disposal of the Premier and the party and so far she hasn't asked for my resignation,'' said Mr. Hodgson.

Regarded as the party intellectual, Mr. Hodgson is the best-educated PLP MP in the House of Assembly.

Mr. Hodgson, 60, was MP for Hamilton West from 1980-83 and a senator, and in a varied career has been a teacher, lawyer and magistrate.

The former Berkeley Institute student continued a glittering academic career by becoming the Island's first black Rhodes Scholar.

After leaving Berkeley, he studied economics, language and mathematics at Michigan State University.

He then studied at Oxford University, where he obtained a degree in philosophy, politics and economics.

Mr. Hodgson, a devout Christian, served a schoolteacher for years before being seconded by the Government education system to the University of Guyana, where he studied education and its development.

Keen to expand his intellectual and career horizons further, Mr. Hodgson completed a law degree at the University of Buckingham in England, and was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in London.

When he returned to Bermuda, he was employed by the now defunct law firm of Richards, Francis and Francis before becoming a magistrate.

Mr. Hodgson has been one of the most impressive and statesman-like of Ms Smith's Cabinet and has attracted widespread support for his cultivation of the idea of sustainable development.

His supporters said Mr. Hodgson decided to run against Ms. Smith because he had been overwhelmed by the number of calls from people inside and outside the PLP who wanted to see him run the country.

Although seen as a safe pair of hands and a figure of some stature, Mr.

Hodgson has attracted controversy a number of times since becoming Environment Minister.

He was accused by Shadow Legislative Affairs minister John Barritt of having a "Hitler-like'' analysis of the Island's problems when he appeared to blame foreigners for most of Bermuda's social ills.

Last year, a planning decision to refuse an extension of Mr. Hodgson's church, Crawl Gospel Hall, was overturned by Nelson Bascome, who was acting Environment Minister while Mr. Hodgson was on holiday.

And two weeks ago he attracted further controversy by overruling a Planning Department stop order to allow fellow PLP MP and contractor Arthur Pitcher to carry on work on the house of Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown.

Leadership photos by David Skinner Runner-up: Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson seems relaxed last night as he is pictured with Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb following his defeat.