A merger between Bermuda’s two opposition parties is almost certain to happen before the Budget is delivered on February 18, both sides confirmed yesterday.Bermuda Democratic Alliance MP Shawn Crockwell told The Royal Gazette: “It’s going to certainly be soon. We have the Budget coming up and so we would like to be able to go into the Budget with full strength.“The ideal, clearly, would be to sort out all the specifics before that time and, clearly, the Budget being pushed back [for a week] probably makes that objective even more attainable. As far as we are concerned, the sooner, the better.”United Bermuda Party chairman Jeanne Atherden said: “It is our belief we should work towards having it completed by then.“We have people who have areas of expertise we have to get them together.”The UBP, the Island’s official Opposition, held a meeting of its central council last night, when the merger was discussed.Senator Atherden said: “We had a very good meeting and the council gave the executive their approval to continue their discussions with respect to trying to form a united Opposition.“Obviously, we all agreed that we want to create an effective government-in-waiting. I think if one talks about wanting to be a more effective government-in-waiting, the quicker we can get onto it, the better.“The Budget debate gives us the opportunity to really focus on what the Government is going to tell Bermuda, how it is going to make $150 million in cuts.”The Opposition Senate Leader said a number of things had still to be decided, including a name for the new party.Opposition Deputy Leader Trevor Moniz, meanwhile, said party members across the Island had given a “pretty favourable response” to the merger idea.The BDA had a caucus meeting on Tuesday evening, when the merger was on the agenda.Mr Crockwell, the BDA’s House Leader, was not present but said the outcome was that “we are just still discussing internally the efficacy of this transition”.The Pembroke West MP added: “That’s what I prefer to call it, rather than a merger. There are still people who are concerned about the motivation behind it and are trying to understand how it’s going to work and where we, as a party, and our philosophy, how that will continue to go forward.“We are continuing to have that discussion internally. People joined the Bermuda Democratic Alliance; they didn’t join the entity that will eventually become the new party.“By and large, the majority of the group understands and supports what we are doing for the best interests of the future of Bermuda.“But there are some people that are not thrilled about it and so we continue to address their concerns and we hope that they can support what we are trying to do.”The politician said it had taken a “lot of skilled negotiation and an appreciation of what we can do collectively” to reach this point. “A lot of people didn’t think this was possible,’” he admitted. “Ultimately, it has been a pretty arduous and protracted process. To be where we are speaks to the commitment of both sides.“We are hoping we can present something to the public sooner, rather than later. We are still ironing out some of the details.”Mr Crockwell resigned from the UBP, along with fellow MPs Mark Pettingill and Donte Hunt, in September 2009. The trio formed the BDA, along with former UBP Senator Michael Fahy, who became chairman. Craig Cannonier was voted in as party leader last February.This newspaper revealed on January 28 that an agreement in principle to form a united Opposition had been reached by the two sides.Mr Crockwell said last night he expected there to be criticism from the Progressive Labour Party but that the merger made sense.Admitting the BDA had failed to weaken the UBP to the point where it could conceivably become the official Opposition, he said: “If we were to continue [as two separate parties] it would have been to weaken democracy by basically handing the PLP greater power.”He said the merger talks meant he had to “swallow some pride in come circumstances” and be “uncomfortable with having to make some decisions”.But he added: “For me personally, my objective is always putting Bermuda first. My loyalty is to the country first. As a result of that, I don’t apologise for entering into these talks or, at least, assisting the process as to where it is now.”The Annual Budget was expected to be delivered on February 11 but Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox has pushed the date back to February 18.