Premier David Saul yesterday met rebel backbenchers in a bid to avoid a winter of discontent in the next session of Parliament.

The Premier spent two hours with the so-called People's Five at the United Bermuda Party headquarters in Chancery Lane yesterday.

The move came amid rumours that at least two of the rebels were set to be offered Cabinet posts in an upcoming autumn reshuffle -- just before Parliament sits again in November.

Most likely candidates to be brought in from the cold are C.V. (Jim) Woolridge and Dr. David Dyer.

But after the meeting, the Premier and two of the rebels refused to say what had been discussed or if any specific offers had been made.

And Mr. Woolridge said talk of any offers of Ministerial rank for the rebels in an upcoming reshuffle was "too premature''.

Fellow party outsider Dr. Clarence Terceira also refused to discuss details of the talks.

But he said: "That was the first meeting and we will be meeting again, perhaps in a few weeks. I'm not going to go beyond that.

"We feel that we are going to reflect on what has been said -- dialogue is always the answer to everything worldwide. We have to agree on that.'' Dr. Saul, flanked by Deputy Leader Jerome Dill and UBP whip Rick Spurling was also tight-lipped.

He said: "We had a full and frank discussion, shared views and we hope to meet again.'' But he insisted it "wouldn't be fair'' to discuss details of the talks with the media.

The other three rebels -- Ann Cartwright DeCouto, Trevor Moniz and David Dyer -- brushed past waiting reporters and left without saying anything.

A UBP insider last night admitted the talks were "fairly crucial'' to the party's chances in the next General Election, due to be held next year and predicted the talks would continue in "a couple of days''.

But he added: "The Premier will not go for peace at any price. There may not be peace at all.

"That is one possibility and then the chips will fall where they may. But we are intent and sincere about resolving things.'' The olive branch meetings were arranged by Dr. Saul after the five rebels notched up a series of embarrassing defeats for their own party in the last session.

Ann Cartwright DeCouto's Prohibited Restaurants Act, which prohibits franchise-style restaurants, passed through the House of Assembly with Progressive Labour Party support -- although it was stalled in the Senate.

The bill was a slap in the face for ex-Premier Sir John Swan and fellow backbencher Maxwell Burgess, both involved in Grape Bay Ltd., which had earlier been given permission by Finance Minister Grant Gibbons to operate a McDonald's restaurant on the Island.

The five later cooperated with the PLP to pass a motion of censure against Dr.

Saul for his role in the McDonald's affair -- the first time a Premier has ever been censured by the House.

But the seeds of the split were sown last year during the acrimonious Independence referendum, the brainchild of Sir John, when the rebels attacked Sir John's stance and publicly canvassed for a `no' vote. Ad attacked: Page 2 WE'LL MEET AGAIN -- Rebel United Bermuda Party MPs (from left) Dr. David Dyer, Ann Cartwright DeCouto and Trevor Moniz leave the UBP's Chancery Lane headquarters after two hours of talks with Premier David Saul. At rear, fellow rebel Dr. Clarence Terceira talks with reporters.