A former Cabinet minister who was elected in 2020 as a Progressive Labour Party MP is to cross the aisle and join the One Bermuda Alliance.

Vance Campbell’s move was announced during a press conference this morning by OBA leader Jarion Richardson.

Mr Campbell, who said at the address that the PLP was “not fit to govern”, resigned as Minister for the Cabinet Office earlier this month.

That happened at the same time as Kathy-Lynn Simmons stepped down from the role of Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Reform. She has since quit as an MP.

In front of media at his Smith’s West constituency this morning, Mr Campbell said: “Our children are Bermuda’s future, our children must make their way in the world that we leave behind, so I entered politics because I wanted that future to be better for all our children, and I wanted to be part of a team that delivered that better future.

“In 2011, I believed that team to be the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party.”

He added that his experiences since then presented “much to evaluate”.

Mr Campbell said: “Sadly, today, in 2024, in assessing the years between 2011 and now, the conclusion that I kept coming to was that the political party that I joined many years ago, the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party, no longer presents the best option for securing a better future for Bermuda.

“I can no longer visit my constituents’ homes and say to you, in all honesty, that I still have faith in the PLP.

“I can no longer ask you, my constituents, to support me as a PLP MP.”

He added: “In politics there are some who put their own personal agenda before our country, they place the interests of the individual before the interests of the island.

“That is not who I am, not at all.”

Asked if he believed the PLP was electable with David Burt at the helm, Mr Campbell said: “In my opinion, in their present state, the PLP is not fit to govern.”

Mr Campbell said that he would focus on constituency matters as well as “bigger picture” topics, including the island’s infrastructure, education, healthcare and addressing the state of the economy “in a real way, not with small token items”.

Mr Richardson said today that when the House of Assembly returns on September 20, Mr Campbell will “cross the aisle from the Government benches, and sit with us, the Opposition”.

He added: “This is historical, and radically changes the political momentum and landscape of Bermuda and in Bermuda, to the benefit of all Bermudians.

“MP Campbell was in the Progressive Labour Party for over 13 years, serving in roles as varied as delegate and treasurer and when the PLP won the Government, MP Campbell eventually served as a Cabinet minister.

“This decision could not have been easy and I have no doubt that this news will lead to attempts to demean, demoralise and devalue MP Campbell.

“Vance, I want you to know, we, who have faced these political bullies, will not let you stand alone.”

Mr Richardson said that since the 2020 General Election, the OBA had deeply examined its purpose, values and activities.

He added: “We have rebuilt, forged a new organisation from the ashes of the old, clear in purpose, values and mission.

“We have attracted people of integrity, vision and resilience. We are ready to bring about Bermuda’s renaissance.”

Mr Campbell ran in Smith’s West for the PLP in 2012, but lost to the OBA’s Trevor Moniz.

He was appointed to the Senate in 2017 and became the constituency’s MP in 2020 after a contest against Vic Ball, of the OBA.

The MP was appointed Minister of Tourism in April 2022 and then took control of the Cabinet Office during a ministerial shake-up in October that year.

Mr Campbell assumed oversight of the Department of Planning during a shuffle of ministerial responsibilities last November but was no longer responsible for tourism.

He said that his decision was not influenced by the announced retirement of Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs and Deputy Premier — who said on July 1 that he will not contest the next General Election — and any position that may not have come his way as a result of his government colleague’s departure.

He said: “My decision to resign from the party had nothing to do with what happened in C15.

“In fact, my original letter of resignation was typed up and signed on July 1, dated July 2, with the intent to take it to Cabinet to hand it in.

“I decided to hold off and see how things progressed for about another month and then I typed a new letter of resignation and handed it in on [July] 31.

“I no longer supported the policies of the PLP.”

Asked whether he has aspirations to join the shadow Cabinet, Mr Campbell said: “I am here to serve, and if the leaders and executives see fit to ask me to do so, I would gladly serve in that capacity.”

On that issue, Mr Richardson added: “It is a bit too early to say but there is definitely a lot of work to be done and few hands to do it.”

• UPDATE: this article has been updated with additional comments from Mr Campbell and Mr Richardson