Zane DeSilva opened up to a former political colleague on his reasons for bowing out of the challenge for leadership of the Progressive Labour Party during the PLP’s elections this year.

Mr DeSilva also told Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the retired former public works minister, that “a decision will be made as to what I do in my political life”.

During the Magic FM talk radio show on Wednesday, Mr DeSilva “categorically” ruled out running for “premiership of the country or leader of our party” at its conference in October, when David Burt, the Premier, bows out.

However, he said that his “thought process is that I will be throwing my hat in the ring for deputy leader of the party” — the position he holds at present.

Mr DeSilva, 66, is one of the party’s veterans.

The MP for Southampton East (Constituency 29), Mr DeSilva entered politics in 2007, when he was elected MP for Southampton East Central in the PLP’s victory at the General Election that December.

Mr DeSilva won a contest for deputy leader of the party in March 2025 that was prompted by the retirement of Walter Roban.

He went public last October that he was gunning for the party leadership.

In February, however, Mr DeSilva backed Jason Hayward’s candidacy. The economy and labour minister will be up against Curtis Dickinson, the former finance minister, who announced his campaign in April.

On the air this week, Mr DeSilva was pressed for details on why he opted out of the leadership race, with Colonel Burch telling him that “everybody keeps asking me”.

Mr DeSilva said: “A lot of people expected, when I won deputy leadership, that the natural transition was to move to leadership of the party and premiership of the country, which was certainly on my agenda”.

He said revealing to his political family in Alaska Hall that he was backing out for reasons of health and family had been “a very, very tough decision”.

“Every day, no matter where I went, people said they couldn’t wait for me to take over as leader of our country and leader of our party. And I got that every single day.”

However, he said he “didn’t feel it was right for me to continue on that path if I had a worry about my health or my family”.

Mr DeSilva did not specify details on any medical concerns.

However he revealed he had just had “a very, very good, favourable result with regard to where I am health-wise”.

Mr DeSilva added that he would continue to monitor his health, but emphasised he needed to be in “a happy place” on that issue as well as with his family.

“I believe that God has a purpose for all of us, and that I am living out the purpose that I think he has laid out before me.”

Mr DeSilva also predicted a spirited contest for leadership positions in October.

He added: “This is an election year for us in the party, and there will be many positions that will be up for grabs.”