The ruling party's official spin doctor will be giving up his current duties within days to make a bid at elective office.

Glenn Blakeney, who has served as the Progressive Labour Party spokesman for the last two years has been asked to run in Devonshire North Central, or constituency 13.

Mr. Blakeney will have to give up his role as party spokesman if formally adopted.

Yesterday Mr. Blakeney confirmed reports that he was being mooted as the man who will effectively fill the shoes of Dame Lois Browne Evans. But he cautioned that nothing was final yet.

“I can say that there's been shown an interest by the branch... I am very humbled by the confidence shown,” Mr. Blakeney said.

He will bring a “proactive energy” to the constituents. “I see myself as a people person, a listener and a motivated practitioner of doing what I say I can do.”

He said he had made it known to the party some weeks ago that he would be willing to stand wherever the party decided he was best suited.

Pauulu Kamarakafego, otherwise known as Dr. Roosevelt Brown, had been the branch's original and only choice.

He was interviewed this week by the candidate selection committee which included Mr. Blakeney.

But after a subsequent meeting between the candidate selection committee and branch executives and members that same night, the branch conferred with Mr. Blakeney and asked him to run in the district, according to confirmed reports.

The decision caused some rumblings among some of Dr. Kamarakafego's supporters, but Dr. Kamarakafego told said he supported whatever decision the branch makes.

“I endorse the PLP candidate - whoever it is the people put out. Because I know they know what they are doing,” he said.

Branch chairman Ralph York said: “The decision was unanimous and supported by the entire branch, adding that Dr. Kamarakafego will be assisting Mr. Blakeney in his campaign.

Dr. Kamarakafego, who played a key role in the movement toward universal adult suffrage in the 1960s, said he had been asked to run in the election by branches in Warwick, Southampton and Devonshire.

Devonshire North Central is probably the safest district for the PLP. With Devonshire North West, it forms most of the old Devonshire North which has been held by the party since party politics began. Dame Lois, the longest serving Member of Parliament, represented the district from 1963 until parliament was prorogued for the July 24 poll.

Mr. Blakeney said he had had a “quick word and whisper in Dame Lois' ear” asking her for the benefit of her experience with the area.

“She's just the icon of politics in Bermuda having lived through it all,” he said. “I'm still feeling very humbled. I can promise to the constituency and the country that I will give my best efforts.”

Hillary Soares is the United Bermuda Party candidate for the district. Mr. Blakeney said that he was already aware that crime and housing were some of the concerns of the constituents.