Former Premier Sir John Swan said the United Bermuda Party faces an uphill battle in the forthcoming election but he denied there was a hard-core of white racists in the party.

Earlier this week Pembroke West MP Jamahl Simmons quit the UBP saying the leadership had done nothing to deal with constituency members threatening his supporters as he tried to fight off a challenge from former MP Erwin Adderley for the nomination. He branded the UBP a stuck in the past party where whites could engage in threats, intimidation and economic terrorism against black with impunity.

It also emerged yesterday that Corporation of Hamilton alderman David Dunkley had resigned after 28 years in the UBP citing racism as the cause.

In the aftermath, Sir John said Bermuda needed a strong opposition and it was saddening to see it fragmenting.

Asked if the UBP could win the next election Sir John said: ?I can?t give an answer. Twenty four hours is a long time in politics. ?It isn?t just this issue. Does the UBP have sufficient potential members that the public can look at to form a Cabinet that can perform??

He said the economy was booming and the PLP had effectively capitalised on it. ?The UBP has an uphill battle. I don?t blame that on anyone.?

It was less an issue of who could run the economy most effectively because it was now in the hands of international business argued Sir John.

?It will be tough for the UBP to overcome this unless it offers something very profound and people feel they really want change.

?I think Jamahl Simmons has put the icing on the cake,? said Sir John who said the UBP looked split, although he was careful not to take sides on the issue.

But he emphatically denied there was a hardcore of white racists within the party. ?People have wishes and desires and they should be able to express them ? to put a racial twist on it doesn?t serve the country or anyone any useful purpose.?

He said there were racists among both the black and white communities. ?You cannot mitigate or marshal people?s psyches.?

But he pointed out Mr. Simmons had been struggling against supporters of another black candidate.

?What you are really talking about here might be a clash of cultures.?

Opponents had accused Mr. Simmons of campaigning with family members who supported the PLP but Sir John said: ?I had PLP people support me when I was Premier and my party was impressed ? it was the only way I could win.?

Sir John said he too had faced party opponents in his constituency who wanted to replace him but it was a democratic process and he said people should have kept their mouths shut until the primary in Pembroke West.

?To have an outright battle without the democratic process and get in position where everyone is entrenched is not desirable.?

Former United Bermuda Party member Khalid Wasi said it was doomed to electoral failure and urged its black members to follow Mr. Simmons stance and refuse to stand next time.

?They should stand up and do the same thing. They need to force the game to change. It should be a time to do it rather than hang out Jamahl to dry.?

Mr. Wasi said the issue was hastening the inevitable collapse of the UBP ? something he welcomes so a new political grouping can be formed.

The history of the UBP was littered with such splits, said Mr. Wasi. ?It?s structural, I don?t want to belittle it by calling it race or racism.?

But he said candidates who had pushed a black agenda in the party had always found themselves ostracised ? sometimes to be supplanted by less vocal blacks.

He said he was in the frame to stand in Southampton, where his family dated back to the 1600s, but Jon Brunson was given the seat despite being less well known.

?I was always vocal on the issue of empowerment,? he said.

And although he acknowledged the parliamentary party supported the empowerment agenda he said the predominantly white grass roots wanted their own issues expressed.

He cited the attacks on Sir John and Pam Gordon over Independence, the black caucus of the 1970s and the problems of Gloria McPhee and Jim Woolridge.

Mr. Wasi said the Jamahl Simmons issue was a defining moment in leader Wayne Furbert?s leadership and would reflect badly in the polls.