13 July 2007 | The Royal Gazette

With election rumours reaching fever pitch, the Progressive Labour Party rolled out two of their Southampton candidates today.

As first predicted by The Royal Gazette, construction boss Zane DeSilva, 47, will fight highly marginal Southampton East Central instead of branch choice Raymond Tannock, who lost in the 2003 general election by just 20 votes to the United Bermuda Party's David Dodwell.

And Government consultant Marc Bean, 33, who had originally been picked by the Southampton West PLP branch to run instead of incumbent Randy Horton has moved next door to Southampton West Central — held in 2003 by the UBP's Jon Brunson by 129 votes.

In an apparent reference to the selection of Mr. DeSilva, who is white, Premier Ewart Brown said: "It has been said that the Progressive Labour Party has never been and would never be a diverse party.

"Today is only the first demonstration that that will never again be true." MORE!