United Bermuda Party stalwarts could find themselves fighting marginal seats as part of a radical shake-up of the party.

After crashing to its third straight election defeat in December the UBP began a review of operations.

While the results are not due out until next month one idea being floated in UBP circles sees big-hitters such as Grant Gibbons, John Barritt, Louise Jackson and Patricia Gordon-Pamplin leaving their safe seats to go try to winkle the PLP out of the all-important marginals.

The strategy would enable the party to bring in new blood in safe seats.

One UBP insider said: "I personally think there are some people who have to step down, every party needs to inject new blood.

"Some people have been there more than 15 years — including Wayne Furbert. You need to call it a day.

"I think it need not be an antagonistic situation."

And one UBP MP said: "I think we have to consider all the possibilities."

However, the strategy of shifting so called big-hitters proved disastrous in December when leader Michael Dunkley moved to Smith's North only to fail to dislodge incumbent Patrice Minors and crash out of the House of Assembly.

And the high-risk gamble almost cost the party double as Bob Richards nearly lost Mr. Dunkley's old seat of Devonshire East where the Opposition vote was cut from 214 to 27.

There had been talk of moving John Barritt out of his safe Devonshire South Central seat last time to take on Glenn Blakeney in marginal Devonshire North Central but the idea was aborted.

The source speculated that Louise Jackson might not want to fight the next election but if it came early she could fight a tougher seat using her high profile to the Party's benefit.

Other high profile candidates like Grant Gibbons have polled well in other seats, this paper has learned.

However, UBP chairman Michael Fahy denied a seat switching plan was being discussed, saying: "This is the first I have heard about it."