Premier Ewart Brown could face a leadership challenge from his deputy Paula Cox next month say Progressive Labour Party insiders.

At the weekend Ms Cox said she would be interested in the top job – but only under the right circumstances.

And some PLP sources believe her earlier speech at the Speaker's dinner on September 13 was a warning signal as she quoted from a poem on the need for integrity in leadership.

But party sources are still not certain if she will challenge at the PLP delegates conference in October.

One senior member said: "There are some very strong PLP members and some other folks who are not happy with the leadership right now.

"They are telling the PLP and some of us directly that if there is no change with Brown in October that the integrity of the entire party will be put at risk.

"People would really like to see a change of leader. People are pressing for a leadership change but it all hinges on Paula Cox. No one else is really stepping up."

However party loyalist Walter Roban said nothing should be read into Ms Cox's recent comments.

Mr. Roban said: "It's not an election year. That is not really an issue for us at all. If anyone else suggests it I think frankly they are being delusional."

Another high-ranking PLP member said the two statements from Ms Cox in such a short space of time were significant.

He said: "The Deputy doesn't use language lightly and she is not mischievous. She is deliberate."

Mrs Cox has stressed she would only act in an ethical way if seeking the PLP leadership.

But the source said Ms Cox would be seen to be acting ethically if she responded to a leadership challenge which was prompted from the delegates' floor.

It's understood over the summer Randy Horton, Terry Lister and Dale Butler were all floated as possible alternatives to a Paula Cox bid but they failed to attract sufficient support. El James and Derrick Burgess could also be interested.

While reservations about Dr. Brown's leadership were being expressed by Cabinet members any challenge would not be likely to originate there but come from the floor of the delegates' conference, claimed another party member.

"I know Ewart is preparing for it. If she resigned and made a challenge she would win but most of us don't know how warm she is to the idea."

The source said there was anger with Dr. Brown's failure to diversify the economy.

"Small black businesses are struggling, there is unhappiness that people like Correia and Zane DeSilva are getting all the big contracts."

The source also claimed there was frustration with the handling of union issues which ended up with thousands marching on Parliament, anger over the attempt to axe overseas tourism workers and also with the Premier's friendship with controversial Turks and Caicos leader Michael Misick.

The source said nominations for the delegates conference due next month were now closed and both Dr. Brown and Paula Cox had a large following at the branch level.

PLP leaders are selected by delegates with the next mandated contest not due until 2010 under rules stipulating they happen every four years. However a special delegates conference can be forced if there is enough support.

An independent poll in June showed only three out ten voters had a favourable impression of Dr. Brown.

Another long-standing PLP member, again speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Premier Brown was in real trouble with his colleagues, despite all his hard work for the Country.

He told The Royal Gazette: "He's caused so many people problems and created so many enemies."

But the source said it wasn't a clear cut thing that there would definitely be a challenge or that Paula Cox would win.

"With Jennifer Smith everyone knew before what we had to do to take her out and we did it. This is different, Ewart is different, he's a different kind of leader.

"The only person I think can do it at the moment is Paula. If anyone is going to challenge him they are going to have to do it through Paula.

"Many members have lost confidence in Ewart Brown's leadership because they are not sure his agenda is the same as their agenda.

"He's taking instructions from other people rather than his own people."