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Rawlins states she is not looking to challenge Butler for his parliamentry seat

Former United Bermuda Party chairman Gwyneth Rawlins has dismissed suggestions she’s plotting to oust maverick Government MP Dale Butler from Warwick North East.Mr Butler says he’s been told at least three Progressive Labour Party members, including Ms Rawlins, are hoping to challenge him in Constituency 25 at the next general election.But Ms Rawlins says that, although she lives there and has recently got involved at branch level, she has no plans to take over from Mr Butler.“It’s not true. I haven’t even thought about it. I’ve not done any canvassing or anything like that,” said Ms Rawlins, who says she has mainly laid low since joining the PLP more than a year ago.“I have not been approached by anyone in the party about any election. I have barely made myself available to work in any branch.“I will do whatever I can to help the party. It makes sense to do whatever I can to help in my branch.”Mr Butler said: “It has been brought to my attention by several sources that Gwyneth Rawlins and at least two others hope to challenge me at the appropriate time. I have not spoken to her and I don’t know who the others are.”The branch will select a new executive later this month, before a date is set for a vote over the candidate selection.Former Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith has previously telephoned Mr Butler to refute reports he’s going to challenge in the constituency.Mr Butler, an MP since 1998 who challenged unsuccessfully as Premier last October, said: “I have been working in my area since the night I was elected. The residents can speak to my responsiveness and if they are unhappy they have not spoken to me.”A number of sitting MPs have seen their seats targeted since the PLP updated its constitution to make it easier for members to put themselves forward as potential candidates.Former Senator Walton Brown has stated he intends to challenge Deputy Speaker Wayne Perinchief in Pembroke Central, while Government consultant Rolfe Commissiong has been canvassing aggressively in Junior Economy Minister Ashfield DeVent’s Pembroke South East constituency.l Useful website: www.plp.bm, www.ubp.bm