Finance Minister Paula Cox has confirmed she will run for deputy leader of the PLP ? as she came out in support of under-fire Premier Alex Scott.

She said Mr. Scott?s challenger, Ewart Brown, lacked ideas and she expects to fight against a senior member of the Brown camp for the Deputy Leader?s post in Friday?s crunch vote.

Speaking exclusively to Ms Cox said she has done a lot of soul searching in the past few days after colleagues urged her to run for the top job.

But despite an impressive political CV which includes spells as Home Affairs Minister, Education Minister and Attorney General she said she was not yet ready to challenge for the leadership she admits is her ultimate goal.

Asked about those urging her to come forward she said: ?It?s always flattering, always gratifying.

?But my mantra is I have to look at the country?s national interest. And I have to be pragmatic. This was not the time for me.?

She said she had arrived at her decision after a lot of thought.

?Unless you are either very superficial or stupid you have to look at the options. It may be I have made a decision which is not prudent but I have to do what I think is the right thing.

?But Premier Scott still has some unfinished businesses at the helm of the country. That is what motivated me more than anything else.?

Throwing her full weight behind Mr. Scott she denied there was any formal or informal deal for her to take over from him within the next couple of years.

And she said the fight for independence may be put on the backburner if Mr. Scott is re-elected.

?Independence is still an issue that the Government is still an advocate for. But I think the Government has also listened and heard the public sentiments that there are more pressing policies they want greater attention given to.

?I think that is what we are going to see more of. I don?t think it means independence is taboo but you are going to see focusing on the important policies ? taking care of the people.?

She admitted the party was split again, lashing out at the Brown camp, which three years ago succeeded in turfing out another sitting Premier ? Jennifer Smith.

Ms Cox said: ?I think if people conducted themselves with more integrity and decorum and put the interests of the country first we would have less public bloodletting.

?There have been some comments better made in a less public forum.?

Asked about Dr. Brown?s platform she said: ?It seems to me extraordinary for someone who served at the Cabinet table, not just as a minister since 1998 but in the role of Deputy Premier for the last three years, to see the fleshing out of ideas which in many ways replicated those already discussed and or actioned by the Cabinet in which he served.

?Having looked at the platform, I didn?t see anything that was distinct or innovative, particularly because much of the attributes of the former Deputy Premier was that he was seen as a man of innovation.?

Asked if she would serve under Dr. Brown if he won she said they had worked together in Cabinet.

But she added: ?I am sure he may have his own preferred choice as deputy. There may very well be a run-off. I don?t expect I will be acclaimed.?

Nor is she not taking anything for granted in a run-off.

?People in the party want to know they have a team that?s going to work to be re-elected, that they can rely on,? said Ms Cox who said the delegates would likely vote on the candidate?s past record, chemistry and their speeches on the night.

Pressed on whether she might need to run given Mr. Scott lacked the public support with polls now saying Dr. Brown is twice as popular, she said polls were a snapshot in time which could lead to unflattering statistics.

Ms Cox added: ?At this particular time I would have thought this is one of the most angst-ridden times for the party leader. But there is also a sense of camaraderie and team work.

?If you have someone who is prepared to work with you and take some of the pressure off and to work with a shared collective vision ? that will help improve the polls results.

?Right now people are feeling disorientated, concerned, curious. There?s going to be a level of un-readiness and dissatisfaction towards us. They want us to get on with running the country and stop this naval gazing.?

Asked about a poll which showed the public preferred her in a straight fight with Dr. Brown she pointed out the delegates might well differ from the wider population.

?It?s an extrapolation taken at a point in time when we are having clear evidence of schism.?

But she signalled she would not be happy to take a backseat if she landed the Deputy Premier?s post.

?On paper, the role of Deputy is more the role of a political eunuch.?

But she said a relationship based on respect and trust could see important functions delegated to the country?s number two.

?So you don?t just have a role when the Premier is out of the country or is incapacitated.

?In a modern sophisticated democracy like Bermuda there is so much to do that many hands make light work.?

She said Mr. Scott had been a safe pair of hands and had brought a sense of teamwork to Government while giving ministers a free hand ? within limits.

Mr. Scott had been attacked by former Tourism and Telecommunications Minister Ren?e Webb for being intransigent and sexist. But Ms Cox said: ?I have never found him at all to be dictatorial or domineering.? Nor did she find him to be sexist.

?He came in at a very difficult time. When we were really at crisis point.

?His job was really in addition to running the country was also to be a healing bridge for the party. Angst, division and rancour dominated the party at that time.

?There was some questioning as to whether we would be able to heal the divide. I think we have managed to do that.

?I think he is now seeking his own mandate. He came in almost on the basis of being a healing and compromise candidate. But he has certainly earned his spurs and the right to go forward on his own right as a leader of the country.

?Why would I say that? I am no sycophant and I have my own independent views and can sometimes be frank and less than tactful.

?But I think for me he represents a man who has a vision for what he wants Bermuda to do.?

She cited initiatives such as the social agenda, sustainable development and the study on young black males.

Asked what she would do if pro-Scott delegates sensed he lacked the numbers to beat Dr. Brown and instead turned to her she said: ?I don?t they would do that.

?People have already approached me and asked me to put my hat in the ring and I have declined.

?It think there would have to be something catastrophic for me to reconsider that position.?

One Cabinet minister said an eventual Paula Cox Premiership was inevitable given her younger age.

Mr. Scott is 66 while Dr. Brown is 60 and has already indicated that he will likely only serve five years if he wins on Friday.

But she denied being the leader in waiting.

?I don?t think it?s automatic, a right of survivorship. The party is full of people of talent and ability. I don?t think its an automatic shoe-in given the ages of Dr. Brown and the Premier.?

?I have ambitions to be party leader and the Premier of the country. But a day is a lifetime in politics ? anything could happen.?

Announcing her candidacy for the Deputy leadership to she said her bid had ?not been crystallised by one single event?.

She added: ?But I have been steeped in politics for decades and have always had an active interest and engagement.

?There?s always seasoning that one has to have and a maturing process and that is why I have not opted to go for the Premiership. I think this is a natural segway but I don?t expect to go in by acclamation.

?But it is a challenge and I want to support the party leader.?

She agreed she might have a better chance now than three or four years down the line. ?I take my chances.?

Ms Cox?s, who has been Finance Minister since January 2004 said her own finances are a factor in maker her stay put.

She has famously kept a job in the private sector throughout her Cabinet career ? something she would have to give up if she led the country.

?Politics is a career where you have to be a little older so you have the financial stability so you have the freedom to be totally independent.

?To be Premier you have to be totally divorced of any other interests.?

Ms Cox, 47, said she had not finished what she wanted to do in the Finance Ministry so the Premiership could wait ? for now. ?I think I will still have energy when I am 57.

?It might sound self effacing. I think I am a good politician, I am a credible politician, I have a reputation. But I think I still need a little more seasoning.

?I don?t just want to be a good politician. I want to be a great politician and I would like to be great Premier.?