Premier Ewart Brown is so much a man of his word, his supporters won't even try to get him to change his mind about quitting in 12 months, Progressive Labour Party spokesman Wentworth Christopher said yesterday.

Mr. Christopher dismissed suggestions a campaign could be underway to encourage Dr. Brown to stay beyond his stated exit date of October 2010, after flyers were put about calling for him to stay on as Premier.

Several PLP MPs have told The Royal Gazette they believe Dr. Brown really intends to stay on — and only pledged to step down so that his detractors in the party would ease off in their criticism.

They suspect over the next year he will get his supporters to drum up a campaign for him to stay on, giving him the chance to say he needs to continue as Premier for the good of the Country.

However, Mr. Christopher argued yesterday: "That's merely speculation. I would tend to believe that Dr. Brown has a sufficient level of respect that when he indicates his intention to move in October next year, he'd given it as a promise. And we know he likes to keep his promises."

The flyer carries a picture of the late Frank Manning — a white author who wrote about racial prejudices in Bermuda — and urges Dr. Brown to retain his post as Premier. It was distributed at the PLP delegates conference last week. Asked whether such calls for him to stay would influence Dr. Brown's intention to stand down, the Premier's press secretary Arnold Minors replied yesterday: "The Premier has given no information that even hint that his stated intention is not a firm decision."

Mr. Minors said the Premier had no comment on the flyer and contrary to some suggestions Dr. Brown did not initiate it. Mr. Christopher said the flyer was printed on PLP green and white paper but was "certainly not a party publication".

"The flyer is obviously from an amateur supporter," he said. "It's not party or party leader-generated.

"Dr. Brown's pleased with the support inferred by that effort. However, he reiterates that it's his intention to step down in October 2010 and the party should be diligent in identifying his successor."

The Premier has frequently faced threats of leadership challenges from party colleagues throughout his tenure, but insiders say the drive to turf him out has lost momentum as he had repeatedly stated his desire to leave of his own accord in 2010, at the end of his four-year term as leader of the PLP.