MPs will have access to the names of delegates who have the power to vote in any leadership challenge to David Burt, the Premier, next month.

The Progressive Labour Party made the statement following an internal flashpoint over the issue.

The announcement came after senior PLP figures raised concerns that the 2021 list of delegates was not being circulated to members who may stand against Mr Burt, or the deputy party leader, Walter Roban, the home affairs minister, at the gathering, which begins on October 19.

The PLP could face a battle for top positions at the three-day event.

A party spokesman said: “The delegate election process for the 2022 Progressive Labour Party annual general conference has not yet commenced.

“All declared candidates vying for a role on the PLP executive will have access to the delegates once they are elected."

The comments followed claims of a tense PLP central committee meeting which ran into the early hours of the morning last week at which calls were made for the 2021 delegates list to be made available.

Sources told The Royal Gazette that the gathering was “heated”.

Lawrence Scott, the Transport Minister, has told The Royal Gazette he is considering a bid to replace Mr Roban as deputy leader of the PLP.

And there has been persistent talk in the party that Mr Burt could face a challenge to his leadership at the gathering.

Individual party branches elect voting delegates in proportion to the size of their membership.

Curtis Dickinson has been mentioned in the party as a potential challenger to Mr Burt at the upcoming conference.

The MP dramatically stood down as finance minister just days before the February Budget after clashing with the Premier regarding the generosity of terms to developers Gencom over the planned $376 million Southampton Princess Hotel revamp project.

Transport Minister Mr Scott announced he was thinking of a run against Mr Roban, stating: “I told colleagues that I was considering it.”

PLP rules state that Mr Scott, or any other contender, must declare whether they are running at least 21 days before the conference. If he was successful in his challenge, he would become deputy premier as a consequence.

Elections for the leader and deputy leader can only occur every four years under the PLP constitution.

Branches must notify the party of their chosen delegates by September 28.