United Bermuda Party stalwart John Barritt is considering his position with the under-fire party — with a reported exodus said to be growing across the branches.

Mr. Barritt, one of Bermuda's longest serving politicians and a UBP MP since 1993, could end up resigning his safe seat in Devonshire South Central and running as an independent in the resulting by-election.

Yesterday, the veteran MP told The Royal Gazette he would "stay to the last drink" as his soul-searching colleagues continue to explore the need to change following high-profile walkouts from reformers.

However, he said he has grown tired of Bermuda's stagnated party politics and wants to see members on all sides of the House of Assembly working together for the better of the Island — something he may not be able to do from inside the UBP in its current form.

It is not thought Mr. Barritt is likely to join the breakaway party.

Meanwhile, sources say up to 20 party members have contacted UBP officers to say they want to resign after six rebels — MPs Shawn Crockwell, Donte Hunt and Mark Pettingill, former Senator Michael Fahy, chairman Sean Pitcher and adopted candidate Wayne Scott — quit on Sunday night.

The UBP insists only one further resignation has taken place, that of the branch chair in Mr. Pettingill's Warwick West seat, but concedes "one or two" more could be on the way.

This newspaper understands dissenters have indicated their proposed departures to the central office by e-mail or phone call, without yet handing in letters of resignation.

Outgoing members are said to include five people in Mr. Crockwell's branch and at least two branch chairs from elsewhere.

Speaking about his own future yesterday, Mr. Barritt said more discussions would take place but that he was considering his own position with the party he has represented for five years in Government and 11 as Opposition.

"I have got disagreements and differences," said the Opposition spokesperson for legislative reform. "I would prefer to go along with my colleagues, people who I have been associated with and been part of and I will exhaust that and stay to the last drink on this discussion for change.

"But after that, it beholds me to say, if I feel strongly, I will do what I have to do.

"I don't think it's just about the UBP. We have to discuss how this Country is better served. We need more coalition and alliance with different groups; not just on the UBP team — it may require being on the teams of other people and other groups.

"If that becomes your focus, a lot of this other stuff may change — branding, that follows like night follows day.

"I personally think it's a good thing that people are looking for other things. They don't want the rigidity of party systems any more. In Bermuda, with limited resources and with the number of people prepared to get involved, we have to look how to make the most of what we've got.

"I hope people continue to move the process along."

Mr. Crockwell, Mr. Hunt and Mr. Pettingill — like fellow UBP defectors Wayne Furbert and Darius Tucker — will not be resigning their seats and risking by-elections. But Mr. Barritt said: "When you have been around as long as I have, and you go back to people to get their support, if I feel that the Country needs to go in a different direction — and it's a better direction — and I'm unable to take my party with me, I have to go back to the people who voted for me and explain my position to them.

"That might mean resigning my seat and saying to people: do you agree? Telling people I feel very strongly about this, I want you to have an opportunity to say what you want. As Independent or whatever. As I understand the law, there's no requirement to do that, but if I get to that point, where I'm at variance with my party, I would be looking to go back to the people who supported me."

Mr. Barritt said of Sunday's resignations: "I was surprised, not necessarily by the content and the frustration of those who left the party, but at the timing. I hadn't expected that.

"I thought we hadn't exhausted all the internal processes or internal avenues. I thought we were on the verge of another round of discussions: the need for change, what form change should take."

However, he added: "One silver lining to the dark cloud is that we will have a situation where we compete with them for performance in the House of Assembly. It will force us and them to raise our game."

Sources have told this newspaper activity in some branches, especially Sandys and parts of Southampton, has been next to nothing for some time.

A UBP spokesperson responded: "Branch activity in the UBP is very much determined by the season. We like to think of our people in the field as something similar to the 'Minutemen' of the American Revolution — men and women ready to support the party at a moment's notice.

"The level of activity normally increases as an election nears. Beyond that, people come and go for a variety of reasons. This is the history and nature of branch activity in the United Bermuda Party. There is always a skeleton structure in place from which we can build quickly to a level of activity that enables us to contest an election all across the Island, even in Sandys. Prior to the 2007 election, we built the field up to strength in every region and every branch. Anyone saying that the situation in our branches is 'worse now than ever was' is feeding you a line that has no real meaning given the way branches operate.

"The events of the past few days have prompted one resignation — the branch chair in 28. There may be further developments in Constituency 19 (Shawn Crockwell) and 4 (Donte Hunt), but to date the party's central office has received no other resignation. That is not to say we do not anticipate one or two more resignations."