A special delegates’ conference to determine the leadership of the Progressive Labour Party could be on the cards as the required minimum number of branches have signed up in support.

It is also understood that 11 African Methodist Episcopal churches sent correspondence to the PLP indicating that they would not support the party with Marc Bean at its helm.

According to sources close to the PLP, 12 branches have now signed up to support a delegates’ conference, which could either see Mr Bean ousted or kept in place as Leader of the Opposition.

One source said that more branches could still give their backing to the conference, with a central committee meeting slated for Monday potentially crucial in gaining further support.

A special delegates’ conference is permitted to take place at least seven days after it is called.

The source told The Royal Gazette: “Many believe the issues at hand with regards to the PLP leadership will come to a critical point during the central committee meeting. Many feel they need to be addressed there on the night.”

Meanwhile, a source close to the churches said that members of the AME invited “at least two members of the PLP” to a meeting, at which “the churches delivered a message that unless and until Marc Bean is removed they will not get the support of the churches they represented”.

It is understood that Dennis Lister, the Shadow Minister for Public Works, was one of the PLP members present at the meeting in his capacity as acting deputy Opposition leader in David Burt’s absence.

The source continued: “Some of them feel this time that he has insulted some of their principals and some of their members — they definitely took an extremely dim view against the words he was using against Toni Daniels. They found it disrespectful of women across the board.”

Speaking on behalf of the AME church denomination in Bermuda, Reverend Leonard Santucci said: “The perspective of the church is that we are happy to engage in consultation and collaboration with anyone if it is for what we deem to be the greater good of the community as a whole.”

However, he added: “At the same time, the church does not endorse persons or parties nor does the church determine leadership of political parties. That would be determined within the party to the same extent that the church would not permit a local party to determine the leadership within the church.”

Asked whether he could rule out whether the PLP party leadership was discussed during the collaboration, Rev Santucci replied: “It was not mentioned during the time that I was present but I had to leave the meeting to take an emergency call. I was only present for about 15 minutes. I am not aware of anything pertaining to the leadership of the party.

“If a spokesperson is not a pastor then they do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the church — they are sharing an opinion that has no authority as it relates to the factual position of the denomination.

“Having an opinion and having the authority to speak on behalf of the church are two different things.”

The source close to the PLP said members are tiring of the “blood letting” within the party, which has included a major Shadow Cabinet reshuffle that saw seven MPs leave the party towards the end of last year, the subsequent removal of Zane DeSilva from the Finance Committee and the removal of Walton Brown and Wayne Furbert from the Boundaries Committee on Tuesday.

Business leader Cyril Whitter resigned as a member of two PLP committees, including the Finance Committee, in January as revealed by this newspaper after Mr DeSilva was removed.

The source continued: “I gather that due to this latest move they feel as if it is getting far too personal. They don’t like the implications; they don’t want someone transforming into a dictator.

“It is the older members who are adamant that that sort of behaviour is not going to be tolerated because they have seen it before. The younger ones, not having that experience, are not as sure.

“The criticism is now going to be on Marc Bean for damaging the PLP as a whole.

“That was the same sentiment expressed when he removed Zane DeSilva from the Finance Committee as he was an important component of that. There was an element that stood back for a while but now they are not taking any nonsense at all. One group said, fix it or they will begin anew. The toxicity is a little too deep. There is a sentiment he is too personally focused as opposed to party and country focused.”

Potential leadership contenders named by sources have included Mr Burt, Kim Wilson, Mr DeSilva and Michael Weeks.

Mr Bean would not comment when contacted by this newspaper.