Faced with the task of reuniting his party with an election which could be just weeks away Michael Dunkley certainly has his work cut out.But the fiery United Bermuda Party MP has never shirked a challenge and is confident he can pull off the seemingly impossible and lead the United Bermuda Party to victory.

He has built up a solid reputation in his ten years as an MP, beavering away to unearth the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal which rumbles to this day.

But some may question whether the UBP is fit to govern, given its long-running leadership saga which saw MPs back Wayne Furbert when Maxwell Burgess called on him to go but then sign a motion urging him to quit weeks later.

It smacks of indecision but Mr. Dunkley indicated a lot had been going on behind the scenes in what was a tricky situation.

“It is not like Maxwell Burgess said it and two months later we came out and said ‘Oh, we need to move on that’.

“It is something many in our group had been discussing for sometime. There is a right way and wrong way of doing it. These situations are always very difficult.

“He resigned with dignity, on his terms. He got to say some things and I think the party came out of that situation very well. Any time there is a change in leadership is very difficult.”

He pointed out the PLP wasn’t exactly a rock of stability with three Premiers in three years with the current Premier on record as saying ‘We had to mislead you’ after the coup to get rid of Jennifer Smith 48 hours after the 2003 election.

He admitted the public might be sceptical about the UBP’s slow approach but argued it was necessary because it wanted maximum dialogue rather than “rushing like a bull in a china shop”.

That approach might seem like a good description of Mr. Dunkley’s forceful parliamentary style. And it is an open question whether it will help lure the floating voter who might want to be wooed rather than hectored.

Indeed some might fear the election might turn into some sort of macho street fight between Premier Ewart Brown and Michael Dunkley.

But he says there is more to him than his public persona. “One of things people don’t know is behind the scenes I am a very open person. I listen to opinions from different quarters.

“But at the end of the day we have to make a decision and move forward — that’s why people might see me as someone who’s aggressive.

“Because once you have a discussion you can’t keep pontificating on it, you have to make a decision and move forward.”

He describes himself as a goal orientated rather than someone content to let matters drop.

But he concedes he has some similarities to the Premier.

“We are both former athletes who love to play sport. We both have a lot of energy.”

But there the comparisons end. “And no, I am not getting in any street fight. People don’t want that. I will never go out and just be aggressively derogatory about the Government. Negativity in life doesn’t do anything in life other than bring people down.”

Instead the UBP will keep putting over its plan — just as its Budget Reply had suggested innovative policies such as payroll tax breaks for the poor while also detailing where money could be saved.

Mr. Dunkley has recently been characterised in several quarters as being the right wing of the UBP. It is a label which perplexes him.

“I don’t know the difference between left wing and right wing in politics. I just do what I believe is right after listening to the people and my colleagues.

“I have been scratching my head when I hear that — give me examples of what it means. It is just a way to segment someone, put them in a category.

“Does it mean standing strong on public safety is right wing? Or standing strong on fiscal prudence in Government and uncovering the BHC?”

He denies the party is back tracking on its commitment to economic empowerment.

“It hasn’t changed just because the community hasn’t heard so much about it.

“We were clear we supported the government’s initiative with North Hamilton and economic empowerment — you heard that loud and clear in the debate a couple of weeks ago.

“We need to look seriously at how we are educating our people and empowering our people.

“We have seen a Government talk about education and economic empowerment and they have failed. They had the opportunity.

“We realise Bermuda is segmenting itself more and more between the haves and the have nots.

“There are more and more people falling into the poor and near poor category and that’s got to change.”

He said technical education was a sham leaving thousands of trades jobs to go begging.

“There will be a big push by the UBP to empower people so it really matters.

“Not to use the word as a fancy word to capture people’s imagination so they think money will fall of a tree — what we mean is giving them the opportunity to aspire to the next level in life they want to.”

He said he is thrilled to have Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin as his number two but he has given no thought to naming his Shadow Cabinet.

“It’s premature. If I am elected leader I wouldn’t expect to make an announcement very quickly. I would expect individuals to keep serving where they are and look at that in due course.”

Instead the thrust will be on getting the candidates ready and out on the doorstep.

But he added: “I would love to have Wayne Furbert back in the Shadow Cabinet. I have the greatest respect for Wayne Furbert as a politician — he can step back and work with me in any post he has an interest in.”

Despite the public perception he said he hasn’t always aspired to the party’s leadership.

Asked which political leaders he admires he is reluctant to choose for fear of leaving people out but mentions Jim Woolridge as being a big help as well as former running-mate John Barritt. Pamela Gordon comes in for praise for handling a difficult situation, in the dying days of the UBP’s 30-year reign, with grace and humility. “She never lost her own personal touch.”

On the Government benches he has a lot of respect for Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Paula Cox. “She has a lot to offer the people of Bermuda.”

And he also praises Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield. “She’s fair, she shows no bias. That is very important.”

Overseas he picks a mixed bag of upcoming US politicians including Democrats Deval Patrick, John Edwards and Barack Obama and Rudy Giuliani of the Republicans.

Mr. Dunkley has a full realisation of the huge amount of work involved in being Opposition leader and he has plans to step back from Dunkley’s Dairy’s. It will survive without him.

“Everybody’s expendable in life,” he said.

There is lots to do in the new role. The election could be June or July predicts Mr. Dunkley who believes the party is further ahead with candidate selection than the PLP.

He thinks the election will be fought on housing, education, violent crime and drugs.

But he also believes personal representation by MPs will be a factor as he urged electors to look at the qualities of the candidates rather than blindly vote along party lines.

He is expecting racial barbs from the PLP as the election looms but he will not be deterred. “The UBP will continue our stance of diversity and working together and continue to promote our ideas on education and empowerment.”

As a white leader he said he feels no more vulnerable to the predicted onslaught than anyone else.

“The people that know me know where I stand as far a race goes. In fact Julian Hall was quoted in an article in the Bermuda Sun saying something along the lines of ‘Michael Dunkley doesn’t have one racist bone in his body’.

“I was born in Bermuda in 1958 — I don’t even remember segregation. I was just a toddler growing up so I don’t look at colour when I am dealing with people. I am looking at the person and what they are offering.”