He could be committing political suicide but nothing is going to stop Wayne Furbert from speaking from the heart.

And his heart tells him that time is up for the United Bermuda Party.

He's been a member of the party since he was 14, served in the Cabinet and was party chairman and leader.

But for him the country will always come above party labels and party labels seem to be the problem for the UBP who he believes will face further humiliation at the polls the longer it struggles on.

He said 40 years ago the United Bermuda Party had been formed to do exactly that — to unite Bermuda.

"After 40 years we have got to ask ourselves the question — are we united? We had a vision yet we cannot see.

"It was a vision of bringing the country together and yet we have not seen that take place. And people have to step back now and ask themselves the question — where do we go from here?"

"The formula that the UBP has worked in the past is not working anymore. I saw it that we maximise our white support and get a certain percentage of the blacks and once we have done that 'hurrah, hurrah, hurrah — we have pulled the country together'. That's not true."

Now the party fails to attract about half the level of black support it once got, despite its good work over a long period, said Mr. Furbert.

The 2007 election saw a hardening of racial attitudes, noted Mr. Furbert, who said despite the BHC allegations hanging over the PLP, a considerable amount of the black community had said: "I am not going back to the UBP."

So once again the PLP got their backing. "They took the notion the establishment is after blacks again because it is a black party."

"The UBP at this point has to question whether we will ever again be able to give this country an alternative under the conditions we operate."

He said those who didn't even like the PLP were still backing it against the UBP because of what their parents and grandparents told them.

Mr. Furbert said: "You will never hear me say the United Bermuda Party was racist. In my heart of hearts, and I have been involved with them, I can't believe the group is racist. I mean it is ridiculous, the room is full of blacks."

But he doesn't know if the UBP can ever win an election. "How long does one want to wait? Every poll I saw showed that people mistrusted the PLP but would give them another chance."

While party loyalists trot out the line that it took nearly one in two votes, they forgot that while the UBP missed power by a total of 78 votes in 2003 the margin grew last December as its proportion of the vote declined.

"We got 47 percent of those who turned out. But let's not fool ourselves."

He said if the PLP had put the same energy behind the other seats as they did to turf out David Dodwell and Suzann Robert-Holshouser and stop Michael Dunkley, it would have picked up three other seats.

"We maximised, we brought everybody out we could, in our safe seats and our marginals. But if you look at the PLP's safe seats, they didn't."

He estimated if the PLP had really pulled out all the stops it could have pulled up to 57 percent of the popular vote and with a 100 percent turn out the UBP would have been down to 35 percent of the popular vote.

UBP strategists now live in fear of a Paula Cox Premiership as she has sky-high approval ratings amongst UBP supporters.

"Paula Cox is a formidable individual, she has credibility. As much as you try to stick her with something it will never stick. She wants what is good for the country.

"That's what I am saying, unfortunately the UBP has such a negative name out there and someone like Paula Cox would probably be able to galvanise the white and the black community probably more than you could ever think about.

"If you think Ewart Brown can't win an election, let Paula Cox do it."

He said the economy was doing well, new hotels were coming on line and there were moves to increase opportunities for blacks making the next election look promising for the Government.

Yet the loyalist wing of the UBP will not fade away. The conservative group is said to include leader Kim Swan, Grant Gibbons, Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, Louise Jackson, John Brunson, Cole Simons, John Barritt and Bob Richards. Many of the UBP loyalists were esconsed in very safe seats and did not see the need to change although the reformers believe there is still a chance of persuading some waverers.

Mr. Furbert said most people wanted a better Bermuda for themselves and their children, regardless of the party label.

"One way of moving it forward, and it's a bitter pill to swallow, is the United Bermuda Party has to rethink whether its existence is good for the country. And to a certain degree the PLP (has to look at itself), but I have to start with the UBP because I am there."

"What is good for the Country? If it is about trying to save legacies — that can't be the right motive for carrying on.

"Now what will I do if we do not change? I will have to re-evaluate my position in Hamilton West, whenever the election comes. I will. Under the current conditions the PLP would have a very good chance of picking up that seat."

Asked if the loyalists genuinely thought victory was possible Mr. Furbert said: "Who would believe that? I can't imagine. No one in that group put their hand up and talked about how they are going to win next time.

"I said if there's an election called in a year's time — here's my scenario — we lose three more seats. I have said that to them."

He said some voters were expressing regret they voted PLP and pledging their support next time.

"But we heard this in 2003. Once they put that thing around our neck again about race they run for cover.

"We were really torn apart, particularly in the last two weeks when you had a white guy, Michael Dunkley, and the PLP consultants were able to paint him into a box as one who likes to hang and flog people which was not true.

"But they sold it well, here was guy trying to disenfranchise people, a white guy, that took them back to the past. A guy who wanted to give 8,000 white people status, to a guy who just didn't care about you.

"It was a disaster. You are able to paint a white guy and bring up everything that was done in the past. And it is untrue about Michael — he really cares. But based on how our politics run, it just didn't work for him.

"We had the best plan, we had some reasonable candidates, not in all the seats, but we had a good team. We had the vision, but yet we could not see. And we are blinded that we have to continue fighting on for something when the expiration date is up."

Reflecting on a bitter election campaign he said he had never seen people so tense. "Particularly the white community — frightened about what was going to happen. Families against families, whites against blacks, Bermudians against non-Bermudians.

"What I am hearing out there from a lot of young whites, who believe the UBP has done good things, that it's time for a change."

He said both racial groups were sick of parties taking their vote for granted and wanted a real choice.

"There are blacks out there who will never, ever vote for the UBP but they want an alternative. At the end of the day the PLP may say it's the UBP with a different name. But I believe there is a new group which needs to resurrect itself."

He said the new group might start outside Parliament and then be joined by MPs.

"I think for a while the UBP must exist to show we are not the same group. But it is not good for another group to form if the UBP is still going to be there."

Two opposition parties entering a three-way tussle would hand the PLP a massive majority said Mr. Furbert.

"The UBP has to ask itself what is best going forward."

"You have to have a movement. People are joining Barack Obama because there is a movement out there, they feel there is hope. A new group will provide hope for tomorrow."

Despite resigning from caucus Mr. Furbert said he was still with the reform group of UBP MPs which is said to include Trevor Moniz, Shawn Crockwell, Mark Pettingill, Donte Hunt and Darius Tucker.

Efforts to get two more MPs to join foundered and halted plans to form a new official Opposition earlier this year.

He said independent groups had a good reputation within the UBP such as the group Mr. Furbert dubbed the "mighty seven" who stood up to John Swan over independence and McDonalds.

"There is a division. I am not saying our group is right. What I am saying is ask the voters."

He said there were still one or two MPs in the undecided group.

"I have young people in my constituency saying whenever you make the change — we are with you."

Asked what was stopping him from making a permanent break with the UBP Mr. Furbert said: "I want to give them time to reflect and come to their own conclusion then I think I will have to make a decision."

He said the options included sitting as an independent or even joining the PLP.

"It is only a name. There are alternatives, people will say there are alternatives. People will say you are crazy joining the PLP but why, if I was to help improve them? I am not saying I will."

He said switching parties was common in the US. "Only in Bermuda do we isolate people and put them in a box."

He said he had friends and relatives in the PLP who would love him to join.

"I can't deny my heritage. I am who I am, I just want to make Bermuda better. If I can find a place to park by car to make it better, that is what I will do. But we need a strong opposition, hence that is what I am trying to fight for right now."

He knows there are plenty of people in the UBP who will want him to shut up.

"But I will be concentrating now for a period of time on just talking about how I feel about the country. I know I am not always right but if we don't at least have these small conversations we aren't going anywhere.

"It is time to ask ourselves where do we want to be in 2015, in 2020. We have more racial tension now than when I was growing up. I never felt this antagonism among the races when I was growing up.

"Let's come together or people will leave this country because they are frustrated because they can't survive financially. The pressure is on. We will probably have a brain drain.

"The only people who will be here for brains won't be Bermudians but will be everybody else, coming here for a short time, making their money and going.

"But the Bermudians will be all overseas. If we don't get it right we will have such turmoil in this community that you have never seen before because the pressure cooker will explode because people can't afford prices.

"People will have nowhere else to go but start digging people like you see now. We are getting so used to it now.

"I don't do this for Wayne Furbert — I tell my colleagues the reason I speak is for my children and my children's children.

"That's the only reason why, if not I can do like everyone else. I am an accountant I can just remain in my nest but know I have to make it better for all races in this community."