Their domination was broken by defeat in the 1998 election leading to the Progressive Labour Party winning government for the first time.

[2] Ewart Brown became Premier in October 2006, defeating the incumbent, William Alexander Scott, in a contest for the leadership of PLP,[2] while in March 2007 Michael Dunkley became leader of the opposition United Bermuda Party, ousting Wayne Furbert.

[4] The incumbent PLP campaigned on the basis of their record where they said they had increased tourism and attracted development to Bermuda.

[7] They used the example of two black people who had left the UBP earlier in the year after saying that the white elite was still in control of the party.

[5][8] A police dossier had alleged there was corruption in the public housing corporation, but prosecutors said they could not find any evidence of illegality.

[5] The UBP criticised the PLP for having failed to create enough affordable housing and for their plans for enforcing racial equality in the workplace.

[6] The leader of the United Bermuda Party, Michael Dunkley, failed to win election in Smith's North losing by 444 votes to 536.