Former United Bermuda Party leader Wayne Furbert is giving his failing party one last chance to change or he will quit and sit as an independent MP.

He said he was "disgusted" with the UBP's recent internal report which failed to map a way forward out of the malaise.

And he said he would consider joining the Progressive Labour Party if he felt it would listen to his ideas.

Mr. Furbert told The Royal Gazette that he would appeal to the party's governing body for radical change – if that fails he could be an independent MP by the time Parliament starts the new session in November.

The party has been split between reformist MPs who have at times called for a name change, for the older, white MPs to stand down and even for a new party to be formed.

Meanwhile others in the caucus believe the UBP just needs to keep plugging away and its turn will come again.

Mr. Furbert said that the report, produced by a five-person committee, chaired by former candidate Wayne Scott, was "as useless as the paper it was written on".

He added: "I was disappointed and disgusted.

"Knowing that there were people on that committee that I had a lot of trust in – I won't call their names – who I always thought wanted change, yet nothing comes out.

"It makes you wonder what is going on. Who's controlling that report?

"We thought there would be some real significant radical change coming out of that. Many of us made submissions about what the party should do."

But he said submissions from the reformers had been ignored in a report which said little new, although it conceded the party was seen as being controlled by whites, with old ideas and out of touch to the average voter, particularly blacks.

Of the stay-the-course group Mr. Furbert said: "I have not heard one of them even suggest any change, which annoys me to the hilt."

He said the UBP was going nowhere and was just hoping the Progressive Labour Party would destroy itself, rather than forming an action plan to win black voters who had deserted the party.

"If we don't do that the UBP cannot win an election.

" The UBP, for the good of the Country, should disband but if the UBP doesn't want to disband we have to show some significant movement."

He said leader Kim Swan was only in charge because no-one else wanted the job.

"I think most of the group recognise that Kim is not the leader to take the UBP forward."

The leadership crisis has led Mr. Furbert to suggest recruiting a significant person in the community who could come in, take over and draw support, although he admits he has no one particular in mind.

He said three or four safe seats should also be found for some other newcomers to give the party a different look.

"We have to have a full shake-up of the Senate to show the party is now changed."

Mr. Furbert admitted the strategy was "desperate" but was a middle way after the party failed to come up with ideas in the report. He said: "Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results."

If the parliamentary party continues to reject serious change he said he will push his ideas at the party's Central Council, which comprises MPs and branch heads, and if that fails he will consider resigning.

"I think my relations with the party will become untenable. I get a sense in caucus that my time is probably up."

Mr. Furbert will consult with family and party colleagues at his branch before making a decision, adding: "By November I will have made up my mind."

He is not sure if any of the reform group will follow his stance.

Things have not improved for the UBP since it crashed to it third successive election defeat in December.

Despite the unpopularity of Premier Ewart Brown, the most recent poll showed the PLP stand on 37 percent of the vote while 33 percent back the UBP whose leaders also had a poor showing.

Only 36 percent of voters have a favourable impression of leader Kim Swan while only 15 percent like deputy leader Cole Simons while 29 percent had never heard of him.

But Mr. Furbert said he hadn't even heard any of the other UBP MPs discussing the poll.

He said the party would be wise to listen to his ideas.

"Most of those people are in safe seats, they can't win marginals. Yet still they are telling me - a guy who understands marginals, who understands more about the black community, that I am wrong. I find that so ironic."

It was the feedback from voters which makes him think the UBP should pack it in.

Asked if he would consider joining the PLP, he said: "If I found I could help to make some changes and they are willing to listen, I might consider it."

Pressed on what policy change was needed Mr. Furbert said the UBP platform was pretty strong.

"If anyone wanted to vote about issues, we won.

"The problem is most black people in this Island cannot trust the UBP, they don't find it attractive.

"So I am saying change the name at the minimum, bring in new people who Bermudians can relate to, then we can take the Country forward."

The UBP Internal Report

Opposition MPs have kept a close lid on the internal report commissioned to map out a way forward after three election defeats.

Headed by former candidate Wayne Scott, the committee included MP Trevor Moniz, former MP David Dodwell and Senators Charlie Swan and Jeanne Atherden.

Mr. Furbert said the document revealed that the party knew in November its lack of black voters meant it was heading for defeat both nationally and in seats it held such as St. David's and Southampton East Central, where incumbent David Dodwell was being outcanvased.

Both seats fell to the PLP while the figures also showed leader Michael Dunkley would not take Smith's North.

Mr. Furbert also revealed some contributors told the committee that the UBP should form a coaltion with a new party.

But the call for a new group was dismissed in the report as vague and based around changing personalities.

Questions were also raised about why the goals of the reformers couldn't be achieved by the present party.

Mr. Furbert said the report called for the return of party unity which had fractured in 1990s, never to be healed.

The document, described as work in progress by the party leadership, also said the UBP needed candidates with broader appeal. It might need some current MPs to go - with a succession plan for those who had done two terms.

But Mr. Furbert rubbished this idea saying the only way the UBP could cling on to his seat of Hamilton West is because of his personal pull - and if he left the party would lose it.

"They are so dumb that they don't realise it. Somebody recommended you only serve two terms.

"The people who wrote that don't understand politics."

He said few people wanted to get involved in politics which was already one of the party's problems in attracting new blood.