"Those of you who know my life's story will know that I am no stranger to overcoming adversity."

So said new United Bermuda Party Chairman Shawn Crockwell who appears to have walked into a political firestorm as endless damaging resignations have some questioning the Opposition's very future.

But facing life head on is what Mr. Crockwell does best having bounced back from a prison sentence imposed more than a decade ago after he stole $600,000 of heroin while working as a Supreme Court clerk.

Mr. Crockwell, who has always been open to speaking about his past, said: "There's no secret that over ten years ago through my indiscretion I was incarcerated.

"At that time I had a choice to either serve time or let that time serve me and I chose to work hard everyday ? four to eight hours of study."

That diligence landed him with a University of London law degree while in jail. Since then he has been accepted into the Law Society of England and Wales and completed a gruelling legal practice course.

The 36-year-old has worked with charities PRIDE, YouthNet as well as teaching GED at the Hamilton Seventh Day Adventist Church.

He said: "I believe I will continuously pay my debt to society and I am more than willing to do so."

Now he regards his political role as an extension of service to the community.

He admitted to flirting with the PLP in 2000 but decided it was not suited to his philosophy because he disagreed with its stance on independence and it wasn't "inclusive of the broader spectrum of Bermuda".

He added: "I found it one dimensional."

He said the Government was doing nothing to assist the people of Bermuda and found its stance on Alternatives to Incarceration was superficial ? a crucial point for Mr. Crockwell who spent three years running Work Inc, which was set up to help ex-prisoners back into full-time work.

He recently became legislative consultant to the Registrar of Companies, after qualifying as a lawyer in June last year, but will now resign from that because of his high profile political role.

A big step for a married man with three children but he said he already had other offers lined up.

"It is a decision I have taken. I haven't been told to do so."

Asked what he hoped to achieve with the party said: "My primary role is to stay the course and assist the party in its resolve through these challenging times.

"It appears as if there's an attempt to destroy this organisation and that is not good for Bermuda."

Mr. Crockwell said the timeline of resignations showed "political manoeuvring at its worst" which could indicate an election was imminent.

But, like his leader, he could not elaborate further on how the plot was hatched.

Despite the discouraging polls he said the party would keep preaching its message of inclusion and roll out a platform to address housing, employment and education.

Mr. Crockwell fundamentally rejected racism claims alleged by those who have resigned from the party recently.

"I have never experienced it and in my two-plus years I haven't seen it.

"Last night in caucus we polled every black member present and they all say they are just as befuddled as the next person.

"Because apparently those two seem to exist in a different realm from the rest of us because we don't see what they are seeing."