At the beginning of her political career Gwyneth Rawlins praised the new United Bermuda Party for its diversity and philosophy.

Yesterday she resigned claiming a white elite still ruled the party.

Ms Rawlins joined the party in 1998 after helping her friend and former minister Bob Richards on his own campaign during that election. Prior to the 1998 election she was not a supporter of the party.

She was appointed secretary of the party in 2001 and ran in the Warwick South Central, District 26, constituency in 2003.

Her comments last night, that she experienced "disrespect", "underhanded schemes" and "manipulation" during her time in the UBP are in contrast with the enthusiasm and optimism she spoke of in 2003.

In the lead up to her campaign she told The Royal Gazette: "The new United Bermuda Party team is very diverse and representative of the entire community. We are made up of people from all walks of life, from different socio-economic backgrounds.

We are blacks and whites, working for a common purpose."

In another interview she said: "Basically, I think there's a lot the party has to offer. In the last four years we have done a lot of listening to the people which is one of the things we were accused of not doing. I like what the UBP stands for. I like its philosophy."

Ms Rawlins, who is 57, did not win the seat, which went to now Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and was elected party chairman in 2003.

She grew up in the City of Hamilton and is the youngest of nine children born to Ora and Charles Rawlins, who ran a grocery store on Union Street.

Professionally Ms Rawlins has worked in insurance for ten years, in Bermuda and overseas and currently serves as Argus' customer relations specialist.