Former Premier John Swan has urged the United Bermuda Party to stay the course and not split into rival factions.

But he conceded the party needed to remake itself and possibly shed some dead wood the electorate had already rejected. The UBP is conducting an internal review after its third straight defeat with a report likely to be completed this summer.

However, some MPs could break away if the formula for change doesn't go far enough. Recent poor poll results, which show the party still trailing the PLP despite the unpopularity of the Premier, have further dampened morale on the Opposition benches.

Sir John, who was Premier for 13 years and led the UBP to four election victories, told The Royal Gazette: "The United Bermuda Party isn't going anywhere, we have to accept the fact."

He said the party needed to work through its problems. "The PLP had to remake itself, it got down to six members (of Parliament) when I was Premier, under Freddie Wade it remade itself and worked its way back up again."

Those who wanted to collapse the party didn't have the widespread support necessary and the strategy would only end up with a fragmented political system, said Sir John.

"It would not make any more fundamental progress, in fact it would probably go backwards because there would be two parties, going their separate ways. At least right now you have a party that calls for Government to be somewhat accountable in terms of what it's doing. What would you have afterwards?"

Sir John said the UBP would only succeed when it goes through fundamental change. "The UBP needs to look for a new solid base of representation. It can't put out there people who have been tried and failed and expect for the public to say 'OK, now we will give you a chance'. The UBP has to find new representatives that people have confidence in."

The public had to feel confident there was a dependable Cabinet which could be formed from the group, said Sir John.

"You need eight, nine people with managerial skills who can look after affairs — the UBP does not have that now."

Asked if Kim Swan could lead the party to victory, Sir John said he needs back-up with people seen as potential Cabinet ministers and he added that Mr. Swan had risen to the occasion.

"I can tell you I had my doubts but I was more impressed with him than I expected to be. I think Kim is suffering from the 'wannabes' and the 'disappointees'."

Sir John defined the 'disappointees' as those annoyed not to get the leader's job and the 'wannabes' as those who felt they could do better.

"You have the re-growing pains. You have the old and the new. You have people who feel they should have had more recognition and say than they have had."

Asked about the failure of the UBP to make any significant ground, Sir John said it would take time just as the PLP took time to get going.

"They need to sit down and formulate a plan, which they are doing now, and be a party in readiness.

"At the end of the day, the public will decide if the PLP serves their interest.

"If it doesn't then I don't care how weak the UBP is, the PLP will wake up and get a surprise."

He said worldwide there were examples of weak parties coming in because people were sick of the incumbent.

Quizzed on why the UBP appeared to be making no headway despite the falling popularity of Premier Ewart Brown, Sir John said: "The Premier being unpopular doesn't necessarily change the dynamics of something."

He said the public didn't see the UBP with a platform that represents a material difference from the PLP.

"It is not about individuals but about what you are doing for me. We don't see the UBP saying or doing anything other than criticising.

"What is the alternative plan? It is very hard to come up with one because most of the things have been set in place."

He said policy was mostly about fine-tuning existing programmes. "You have a country that basically functions a lot better than people give it credit for."

Sir John said the arguments in Bermuda politics were squabbles over the spoils of a successful economy but the UBP had yet to find a galvanising issue to draw support.

"So what it has to do is demonstrate its competence, that it can better manage things because nothing much is going to change."