Independent MP Jamahl Simmons said he takes no pleasure from the continuing malaise in the United Bermuda Party.

And he urged his former party colleagues to pick a leader who understands the party needed deep structural change and to take on entrenched party dinosaurs.

Mr. Simmons quit spectacularly in January after lashing out at members in his branch who he said were out to oust him.

Asked about the lingering leadership issues in his former party Mr. Simmons said: “It’s really sad to watch. I am disappointed someone has not put their name forward as a challenger rather than go this circuitous route.”

He said the party had deep structural issues which needed to be addressed. “It is deeper than this change in leadership. Kim Swan has an idea of what needs to be done about the problem. Max Burgess also gets it.”

In his time in the party Mr. Simmons championed economic empowerment and social issues and he said it was time the party leadership dared to upset some of its hardcore members in order to broaden its appeal to the wider electorate.

Mr. Simmons said the UK’s Conservative leader David Cameron had done the same thing and his party was finally leading in the polls after years in the electoral wilderness.

“It takes strong leadership, clear vision and demands values and ideas to move forward.

“It cannot be wasted just because people who have been around for 100 million years are not comfortable with it.”