When he was ten Corey Butterfield put together a scrapbook of a 1980s Progressive Labour Party (PLP) election campaign. Two decades later, as party spokesman, he was to play a key role in ensuring the 1998 election victory.

While he still waxes nostalgic about the earliest days of his political awakening, and remains a lifelong member, a well publicised rift between Mr. Butterfield and the party leadership continues. The relationship soured soon after the PLP won the 1998 elections when as general manager of Hardell Entertainment Ltd, he led a public relations offensive in connection with a row between the company, the Bank of Bermuda and cabinet Minister Terry Lister.

The party's response was to relieve Mr. Butterfield of his public relations responsibilities without ceremony or any show of gratitude for work already done.

Still he wants to help his party win the election again and has said as much to the leader Jennifer Smith, but says he has been ostracised by the key party and government leaders.

"In the past the PLP said we are on the side of right, we will do what is right not what is expedient. My experience is they are now saying we are right. That is the most unhealthy development that has occurred," Mr. Butterfield said.

But there had been some healthy changes such as creating links between the parliamentary group, the central committee and the caucus. "It's not working but it's a good idea."

Mr. Butterfield insists that much more could be done. With a number of PLP supporters now on Government boards, the party could have town meetings with the rank and file and give the grassroots and key stakeholders some input into policy making.

"I believe there is a lack of vision in the party's leadership to make that happen... Alaska Hall could be the seat of all policy development from the street to the government," he said. "There's no collective discussion taking place on an issue and drafting a policy for the Minister to consider."

Mr. Butterfield says that he is not the only one who has faced ostracism at the hands of the party leadership as a result of disagreement or dissent.

"I'm one of many, regrettably - starting perhaps with the split of 1985," he said. His family is considered one of several staunch long time supporters of the party and while he says he got over the "even me" syndrome about two years ago, he is somewhat reassured by the fact that the party's ordinary members are supportive of his potential contributions to the party. "I've had quite a number of members tell me just show up to Central Committee meetings. The reason I don't is that it might detract from whatever good work is going on. As the party has never held an internal investigation into why I was disciplined, I don't think it's right to force my presence on what I imagine is an ongoing problem."

Still Mr. Butterfield's involvement with the Progressive Labour Party has left a deep impression. "I'm now 32. I can remember Lloyd Telford who is a long term party supporter and I can remember sitting with him watching the1993 elections (on television). I was getting up pacing up and down and he was sitting there like an old sage and his calming aspect was the beginning of my political maturity in terms of dealing with the election results."

Mr. Butterfield went public with his political resolve after hearing Nation of Islam's Louis Farrakhan speak at the Somerset Cricket Club in the mid nineties. "I came away thinking he didn't have all the answers for Bermuda and sometime after I wrote a letter to the Editor declaring I was going to do all I could to get the PLP elected," he said. However his main goal now is to serve Bermudians with or without the party. "My interest is the people. Before it was how the party can help Bermuda. Now my interest is how I can help Bermudians."