Opposition leader Michael Dunkley has denied there are contingency plans for him to take over Louise Jackson's seat if he loses his risky gamble to oust Patrice Minors in Smith's North.

Mr. Dunkley has moved out of his safe Devonshire seat to try and overturn the PLP's 123-vote majority next door.

One UBP source said, on balance, he doubted Mr. Dunkley would want to return to Parliament if the Opposition lost again but he believed talks had taken place about a by-election to allow a hand over.

He said: "It would be unreasonable for it not to be raised. The woman is about 76 years-old."

And the insider indicated the Pembroke South East, where the UBP took 81 percent of the votes last time, might be handed over to another UBP politician if the party lost badly at the polls.

However the UBP vehemently denied any deal had been hatched.

Mr. Dunkley said: "No conversations have taken place about that. I don't intend to lose, so this is something completely out of the blue. My only guess is that this the PLP rumour machine at work."

And Mrs. Jackson said the theory was offensive and smacked of ageism.

She said: "It is a vicious rumour."

Asked if she planned to serve a full term she said: "Why would I not? In my opinion it is one of the worst questions to ask anybody. There are people serving in the Senate in the US in their eighties."

Mr. Dunkley was also asked about rumours he had been supplying Smith's North voters with groceries.

He told The Royal Gazette: "It's a load of nonsense. It is typical PLP propaganda that's being spread.

"I have been involved in my business for over 25 years and at Christmas time every year, since I got involved, my brother and I have given out Christmas hampers to the needy.

"When I got involved in politics ten years ago I gave some of those hampers out to my constituency but I still covered the other people out there.

"It is nothing to do with politics. I will continue to do it after I get out of politics."

He denied he was specifically targeting Smith's North and added that he had seen a flyer where Premier Ewart Brown was giving away Christmas turkeys.

And Andre Curtis, Dr. Brown's campaign manager in Warwick South Central, said: "We do it every year. We give away a lot. People look forward to it."