John Swan with the Hon. John Stubbs as Premier, The Royal Gazette has learned.

The plan, which was described as "harebrained'' by at least one MP, fell through due to lack of support, but was later exposed at caucus by Mr. Harry Soares MP, sources said.

Mr. Tim Smith confirmed last night that he was among several UBP MPs invited to a meeting at Dr. Stubbs' house about three weeks ago and asked to sign a letter calling on Sir John to resign.

Under the plan presented at the meeting, Dr. Stubbs would be made interim Premier for 18 months.

Mr. Smith refused to sign. "I did not agree with the contents,'' he said. He identified those who called the meeting as Mr. Trevor Moniz, Dr. Stubbs, the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto, and Dr. David Dyer.

"From the way the conversation moved, those names I gave you were the ones encouraging me to sign the letter,'' Mr. Smith said. "There were a few other people present, but similar to me, they were invitees.'' One UBP source said that six MPs or Cabinet Ministers actually signed the letter. In any event, "the plot failed,'' Mr. Smith said.

"There were some individuals who felt the leadership was ineffective and that a new direction needed to be taken, and perhaps John Stubbs could provide that new direction,'' he said.

Dr. Stubbs is a senior statesman of the UBP and an early advocate of Independence. He has, however, been ill and this term is expected to be his last. Sources said the organisers of the "attempted coup'' felt that would make him a good interim leader.

But others felt Dr. Stubbs had been so ill that he was a "bizarre'' choice.

"In light of his personal situation, it certainly appears to be a non-starter,'' Mr. Smith said.

Mr. Soares, who had opposed the Government's plan at a caucus meeting but said he would bow to the will of the majority, reportedly "went mad'' with anger when he was approached to join the plot and later reported it to caucus.

Dr. Stubbs would not confirm the story, but said: "People sort of suggested, if not (Sir) John, who?'' His own name was suggested "by one of my colleagues,'' he said.

Mr. Moniz would not comment on his involvement, while Dr. Dyer denied knowledge of a plan to make Dr. Stubbs the Premier.

Sources said that Mrs. Grace Bell MP was persuaded to sign the letter, but later was angered to learn that withdrawal of Dr. Stubbs' private member's bill to legalise gay sex was reportedly part of the deal.

"Nothing was ever conditional on that,'' Dr. Stubbs said last night. The only way he could imagine the bill being withdrawn was if "there were absolutely no possibility of its passage''.

It was after the plan fell through that Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto rose at an April 28 caucus meeting and read a different letter that criticised the Premier for his "imperial'' style of leadership but did not call for his resignation.

In the vote of confidence that ensued, the Premier received the support of the caucus 17-3.

Following that vote, some UBP MPs have expressed anger at Mr. Moniz's call in The Royal Gazette on Wednesday for a leadership review.

"In light of the fact that we did have a vote of confidence in the Premier, it makes you wonder how far certain members are willing to go,'' said Youth and Sports Minister the Hon. Pamela Gordon. "What will it take short of anarchy, in their minds, to fix this problem?'' There was no word last night on whether the United Bermuda Party had developed a strategy to proceed in the House of Assembly on Friday with plans for an Independence referendum.

But the UBP caucus did name a committee to deal with discipline in light of the Government's defeat last Friday when attempting to get first reading for a new Independence referendum bill.

"Caucus was this evening informed that the Parliamentary group which met on Tuesday decided to strike a committee of three of its members to investigate, report, and make any recommendations it deems appropriate to resolve the current impasse,'' said Government Whip Mr. John Barritt.

"The impasse to which I refer is that reflected in the vote in the House of Assembly on Friday which the Government lost.'' He would chair the committee, and Deputy Premier the Hon. Irving Pearman and Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira would be members.

"The committee is to leave no stone unturned in its deliberations,'' Mr.

Barritt said.

Dr. Dyer and Dr. Stubbs missed the vote, while Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto and Mr.

Moniz abstained.