The United Bermuda Party was rocked tonight as three MPs quit — along with a Senator, the party chairman and former deputy chair — to form a new party.

MPs Shawn Crockwell, Donte Hunt and Mark Pettingill, as well as Sen. Michael Fahy, Sean Pitcher and Wayne Scott, hope their move will shatter the racial division which has blighted politics in Bermuda for years.

All six tendered their resignations to UBP leader Kim Swan tonight. The three MPs, who say they have backing from their branches for the move, will sit as independents before the new party is formed in the New Year; the other three will work in the burgeoning project’s development.

They say they have received overwhelming support from the public after revealing they were considering walking out on the UBP over the weekend.

A number of community and business leaders are said to be prepared to jump on board their venture, which the gang of six describe as an Obama-like movement with a manifesto of equal opportunity, social justice, security and fiscal conservatism.

The Opposition now has just nine MPs, following the resignations of Wayne Furbert and Darius Tucker in the past 12 months, against 22 for the Progressive Labour Party.

For the full story, see tomorrow’s Royal Gazette.