Derrick Burgess, Dale Butler and Randy Horton are tonight likely to fight it out for the deputy leadership of the Progressive Labour Party.

Backbencher Mr. Horton yesterday confirmed he'll be bidding for the number two post, vowing to focus on improving education, fighting crime, controlling debt and creating jobs for young people.

Former Culture Minister Mr. Butler, who has described himself as a potentially ideal deputy to Paula Cox, is expected to be nominated if his bid to be Premier fails. Works Minister Mr. Burgess yesterday declined to comment, but numerous party sources say he's interested in the position and he's sent out a surge of Ministry press releases over the past two weeks, which some say is an attempt to raise his profile.

Leadership contender Terry Lister has refused to speculate over whether he'd go for the deputy role if he misses out on the top job, but sources say he's considered a sensible option to prevent rifts developing between the Cox and Lister camps.

Health Minister Walter Roban would welcome getting nominated on the night, according to insiders, while Energy Minister Michael Scott and backbencher Michael Weeks are mentioned as long-shots.

One source said Mr. Butler appeared to be front-runner because he's seen as capable of working with anyone, while a Cox/Burgess ticket would be seen as too much of a continuation of the previous administration. Mr. Horton told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "I can say, yes, that I'm planning on challenging for the deputy leadership.

"I think I can bring the leadership and support the Premier in bringing about some of the changes that are necessary. I have great experience, with seven years in Cabinet in four different Ministries. I have had significant success in all my Ministries."

Mr. Horton ran for the deputy position four years ago, but lost to Paula Cox, conceding before all the votes had been counted.

Yesterday, he said his long association with the party, which he joined in 1969, serving successfully as a campaign manager in Somerset at one stage, would stand him in good stead with tonight's voters. An MP since 1998, the former Cup Match star and professional footballer said his accomplishments as Education Minister included commissioning the Hopkins Report and bringing in the Education Amendment Act as a result.

That bill aimed to improve accountability, create a Commissioner of Education, raise the school leaving age to 18 and upgrade the curriculum.

He said he was the driving force behind free tuition at Bermuda College, raised the amount of money available through scholarships and renamed two schools after outstanding educators.

In his tenure as Sports Minister, Mr. Horton introduced a hall of fame, provided support for women in sports and saw through the more funding for the football association. And as Home Affairs Minister, he saw through PACE legislation and was involved in the merging of three fire services.

More recently, as a backbencher, he set up the joint select committee on violent crime, which has now met twice and is ready to hold its first public meeting on November 4.

"I think that if people look at what I have done for the people of the Country, the kind of leadership I have provided in all of the Ministries I have served, I certainly have the capability to be able to perform at the Deputy Premier level," he said.

Mr. Burgess is said to enjoy a lot of support from the PLP's grassroots, harking back to his days as leader of Bermuda Industrial Union when there were a number of Island-wide strikes including in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Fabian.

An MP for Hamilton East since a by-election in February 1998, he broke through as Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety in 2006, handling the work permit term limits policy as it started to kick in.

After the 2007 General Election, he became Works and Engineering Minister and has earned a reputation among MPs for working hard and long hours, frequently being praised for quickly dealing with requests for work to be done in constituencies.

But some in the PLP say his often hotheaded nature could count against him at tonight's vote.