But, is it all a hand set play, to see Peyrefitte ascend? Since he's recently emerged as a favorite of the Prime Minister. Today, he rejected that theory:

Reporter
"The suggestion is maybe a moving force convinced your opponents that you're the guy for the job and that you have the support of the top. Any thoughts on that?"

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Aspirant, UDP Chairmanship
"A moving force, like God, or what do you mean a moving force?"

Reporter
"Maybe a leader within the party."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"Oh no, no, no, absolutely not."

Reporter
"A senior member."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte
"I don't know what lead them to that conclusion, but they came to that conclusion without involvement from me, for sure. I don't think that if you know Dr. Carla Barnett, and if you know Mr. John Castillo. Nobody can induce them, convince them, or bring any moving force for them to do anything that they don't want to do. And they are people of incredible character and integrity. So, I have to believe that they believe that it was not in their best interest to contest for the chairmanship."

"I'm not waiting for February 9th, to get the work going. February 9th, I want to hit the ground running from in the evening, with the new party leader, the new deputy, the new vice-chair, and the other people running. We are ready, we have to sit down with a number of different arms of the party, the PR group, the secretariat, Wave Radio - everything - and formulate the strategy which we will deploy ensure another UDP victory November 2020."

But, getting to victory in a fourth term is an uphill battle. And even more so because the divisions in the UDP are becoming greater in the lead up to a national convention. And, the convention could cause even greater splintering. Today Peyrefitte - who is now the Chairman designate - said they can re-unite after February ninth:

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte - Aspirant, UDP Chairmanship
"There are always chasms in the UDP, far less in the UDP than the PUP, I can tell you that. But indeed, that's one of the main functions of the chairman. The main function of the chairman, in my view, is to ensure that everybody in the party has one vision, and one direction, and we're moving as a complete team. It's no secret for me to say that. We are engaged in a very intense and emotional campaign, especially for the leadership position, and one of my biggest jobs will be to ensure that we can heal as quickly after February 9th, so we can move forward as one United Democratic Party in the real sense, going into the next general elections, and fight the real enemy, which is the People's United Party."