Moves to replace Grant Gibbons as Opposition Leader are more than just silly season rumours, according to senior figures in the United Bermuda Party.

However, last night Dr. Gibbons dismissed the idea and refused to be drawn further.

He told : ?This issue comes up periodically and quite recently with both the PLP and UBP leadership. It seems to come up every time there is a Throne Speech.

?It is simply not an issue that we are prepared to comment on. It is party policy not to comment on internal party matters.?

However, one MP said there is something in the rumours but refused to elaborate while another senior figure said the party would do what is necessary to win the next election.

Reports reaching have indicated Senator Bob Richards is interested but he would need to get elected to Parliament first.

Sen. Richards said: ?I won?t comment on that. Whatever will be, will be.?

Some party sources have said Sen. Richards has been damaged by his failure to get elected in Warwick for the past two elections.

But Sen. Richards said he had wanted to run in his own area and the area had been PLP territory or marginal for a long, long time.

And he made no secret of his wish to return to Parliament.

?I am ambitious of course,? he said. ?I have run already, that?s a given.?

Other figures being tipped as being capable of winning support for a leadership contest include Maxwell Burgess, Wayne Furbert and John Barritt, who narrowly lost out to Dr. Gibbons in the 2001 leadership contest after Pamela Gordon stepped down.

Under the party constitution, five MPs must nominate a candidate to force an election which can be decided in just one night.

Opposition spokesman Jamahl Simmons said: ?Right now there is no change.

?There is a process for picking a leader but so far no one has put their name forward. Our leader is where he is.

?If there was going to be a change that would be an internal matter.?

One MP said: ?Every year I have been in politics there has always been someone, always approaching someone to take over.?