"We have reached rock bottom, the only way is up."

Perhaps harassed UBP Leader Wayne Furbert was tempting fate when he uttered those hopeful words after another damage limitation press conference after yet another damaging resignation.

But just when the UBP thought it couldn't get any worse ? it did ? less than three hour's later as the party's senior parliamentary statesman Maxwell Burgess publicly lambasted his former running mate and called for him to quit.

It had been a day rich in ironies.

There was the latest leadership, gathered at UBP central office, brusquely denying accusations about racial splits before attempting a crunching change of gears as it trained is fire on the PLP.

"We want the people of this country to be united and working together. This PLP Government plays the politics of division," said Mr. Furbert in front of assembled hacks who were wondering if it was time the dis-united United Bermuda Party practised what it preached.

In a doomed bid to get all the bad news out in one go Mr. Furbert revealed Mr. Burgess was retiring at the next election.

The leader recalled the pair went way back ? it was their joint candidacy in Hamilton Parish which had helped save the party in the tight 1993 election.

"I don't believe Maxwell will join the PLP, I will take him at his word that he is stepping down for business reasons.

"We are very sad to lose him. He's a political animal."

One with very sharp claws it emerged as Mr. Burgess brought the press to the House of Assembly library to announce he was bitterly disappointed Mr. Furbert had leaked his retirement plans before he could share them with his constituents.

That was just the warm up.

"The betrayal of that trust is of major concern and I suspect is what has caused others to become unstuck," said Mr. Burgess, although he said he stressed he had not been in touch with either Gwyneth Rawlins or Jamahl Simmons.

"If I have only had a mild case of the disrespect that can be handed out I have some sympathy for where they now find themselves."

The party needed "competent, capable leadership" said Mr. Burgess who, after characterising himself as the senior parliamentary politician in the UBP, added: "I am not prepared, having given 25 years in the frontline of politics, to see Bermuda go down this way."

When journalists asked Mr. Burgess about his shared history with his leader he said he had probably been Mr. Furbert's biggest supporter ? although he hinted the relationship had all had not been rosy.

Business differences some time ago had to be put put aside when Mr. Furbert took the top job, replacing Grant Gibbons a year ago, said Mr. Burgess.

He even claimed: "If I had not supported him he would not be there today."

Not strictly true said one MP last night who pointed out Mr. Furbert had repeatedly beaten Mr. Burgess when they both ran 12 months ago, until, after various recounts were still not going his way Mr. Burgess decided to pull out and allow Mr. Furbert to take the party leadership unopposed.

But the UBP still had a nagging question of leadership said Mr. Burgess who said no one in the party had openly spoke of Mr. Furbert's incompetence but he believed people had to be concerned ? if not they should say so.

He said Mr. Furbert had been ill-advised while his own input had sometimes been ignored.

But Mr. Burgess said he would no longer be a joint signatory to the same suicide note.

Announcing he was standing down to devote more time to his sewage business Mr. Burgess promised to continue to drop the metaphorical brown stuff on his former team-mate on an on-going basis, with a further statement due next week.

Asked about his reaction to the latest bombshell Mr. Furbert apologised to Mr. Burgess and his constituents for breaking the news but said the decision to go public had been a joint one.

"We had been hit by so many angles we felt it was important to get it out there.

"It wasn't intended to hurt him.

"I called him but sometimes it is hard to reach Maxwell."

Asked if it the crisis management technique had backfired Mr. Furbert said: "Everything is out now so I am not saying it's backfired. I am just disappointed it has come to this."

But there was one silver lining, as Mr. Burgess denied he would switch to the PLP but would remain a member of the UBP ? for now. However he did say the PLP were much stronger under Ewart Brown with whom he shared a mutual respect.

Clearly this show will run and run.