Cole Simons, the One Bermuda Alliance leader, insists that he still commands the confidence of the party and would win a leadership challenge — despite admitting that his controversial pledge to bring back Travel Authorisation fees was a mistake.

Mr Simons sprang the unexpected tax hike move on his fellow OBA MPs during his Budget Reply and the resulting uproar within the party forced him to abandon the policy three days later.

At a post-Budget press conference today, Mr Simons said there was “no need to revisit” the incident.

He also would not say if Michael Dunkley, the Shadow Minister of Health, was right to call the controversy a “damaging own goal” for the party

Mr Simons said: “I’m not going there. I have already made a statement — that’s past us.

“The party has recognised that it was a challenge. I made a mistake and I apologised publicly and you have already recorded it, so there’s no need to revisit.”

Asked whether he thought it was time for him to stand aside given the level of internal party criticism over the now-withdrawn tax plans which were formulated without consultation, Mr Simons said: “I serve at the wish of the party members.

“If it is their wish for me to go, I will go. But that is an internal party matter.”

The TA fee proposal and subsequent U-turn prompted friends of Jarion Richardson, the deputy leader, to say that he was close to calling for Mr Simons to resign.

Asked if he thought Mr Richardson should either bring on a challenge or toe the line, Mr Simons said: “It’s an internal party matter, and we will not discuss that further. It’s nothing to do with the non-ministries that we are discussing today.”

Pressed on how confident he was that he could beat off a challenge to his leadership, Mr Simons said: “Very confident. As I said, that line of questioning is not relevant for today’s meeting.”