A snap election destroying the United Bermuda Party would be an act of national and political cynicism likely creating an "overweeningly arrogant" Government, according to former Progressive Labour Party strategist Larry Burchall.

Premier Ewart Brown is refusing to rule out sending people to the polls to capitalise on turmoil within the UBP which has been reduced to nine MPs following a string of resignations in the past year.

Some observers believe an election just two years after the PLP retained power in December 2007 could also wipe out Bermuda's new third party before it even gets off the ground, leading to a huge majority in the House of Assembly for the PLP.

However, Mr. Burchall, a former PLP campaign co-chair and vocal critic of Dr. Brown, told The Royal Gazette the PLP had not addressed major issues while enjoying a majority of eight seats — and that progress would be even less likely with a further weakened Opposition.

He said other countries have produced ineffective governments when one party has gained a massive amount of power, and that if it happens in Bermuda people will look back in 20 years with regret.

"From 1998 to now, the PLP has had a comfortable twelve to eight seat parliamentary majority. During the last ten years, the PLP has faced first, a weak, and then a fractured Opposition," said Mr. Burchall.

"Would the PLP's power and ability to govern be enhanced if its majority — never less than eight (as at present) — went to a majority of 24 which could possibly happen if there was a snap election and the PLP took thirty seats?

"If, having had ten consecutive years of a large parliamentary majority, the PLP has been unable or unwilling to deal with and resolve major issues, what difference will there be if the majority increases?

"Will a House filled with 30 PLP parliamentarians be able to turn tourism from getting huge cruise numbers and small dollars, back to what Bermuda needs — more air numbers and big dollars?

"Will a House filled with 30 PLP parliamentarians be able to turn public education from a 'failed' national institution into a successful national institution?

"Will a House filled with 30 PLP parliamentarians be able to reverse a pattern of rising crime and rising anti-social behaviour?

"Will a House filled with 30 PLP parliamentarians be able to turn a rising feeling of discomfort amongst the international business community into a rising feeling of welcome?

"Will a House filled with 30 PLP parliamentarians be able to turn a racial conversation that has soured into a racial conversation that continues, with both sections of Bermuda's indigenous community as well as its community of non-Bermudians able and willing to participate in a non-rancorous national discussion?"

Mr. Burchall said the PLP began its first term in Government with an expansive and national outlook, peaking with the introduction of the national Sustainable Development Initiative in 2006.

However, he said that, especially since 2008, it had focused on party and parochial issues rather than national matters.

"Currently, the PLP seems more concerned with leadership and power-base issues than with matters of national education and national income, and other national matters," he said.

"All of this with a very comfortable and — for a democracy — a huge parliamentary majority with almost untrammeled — and very real — parliamentary power.

"If, in a democracy, a political party that already has effective two-to-one parliamentary power cannot deal with core and important issues; then that party's power will not be enhanced if its parliamentary power ratio rises and goes up to three or four or five-to-one. And this is especially true in the unique context of Bermuda.

"Calling a snap election, at this stage, and perhaps doubling the parliamentary majority would be an act of national and political cynicism.

"The world over, in all the annals of human populations and their governments, it is far more likely that the governed population will end up with a political party that is overweeningly arrogant, and that becomes actually far, far less effective as a practical problem-solving government. It becomes — as has happened elsewhere — a power and spoils-of-power grabbing government.

"It has happened in every other jurisdiction. Bermuda will not 'be another world'. Bermuda will be the same. If a snap election is called then, 20 years after, we'll all look back, see the error, and understand the cynicism."

Asked whether he would call a snap election, the Premier replied in a statement yesterday: "As Premier and leader of the party, I believe that calling an election is always a possibility. There is no magic formula for making the decision. I consider the particular circumstances at any given moment to decide what's best for Bermuda and the party."

Former Premier Sir John Swan called a snap election in 1985 after the then Opposition PLP split, forming the ultimately unsuccessful National Liberal Party. At that election, the UBP picked up 31 of the House's 40 seats, a setback from which the PLP took years to recover.