Ben Smith sworn in as Opposition Leader
Ben Smith was sworn in as Opposition Leader this afternoon at Los Zorros, the temporary location of Government House.
His appointment comes after Robert King was forced out of the role.
OBA MPs voted almost unanimously in a no-confidence motion against Mr. King’s leadership, resulting in his removal as Opposition Leader.
Governor Andrew Murdoch thanked Mr. King for his period of service, saying he valued their interactions and wished Mr. King and his family well for the future.
Mr. Smith also thanked Mr. King for his time as Leader and offered heartfelt thanks to his team.
“The confidence you have given me today is something I will cherish, and I will use it to do everything we possibly can to help the country,” he said.
Mr. Smith also declared his mandate to fight for young people and their futures.
“Today is the beginning of what we are going to do to win back our community,” he added.
Deputy Opposition Leader Scott Pearman briefly spoke to the media about how the party arrived at this moment, saying MPs had expressed concerns about Mr. King’s leadership and ability to lead.
“This is democracy in action,” Mr. Pearman said.
He added that Ben Smith has the confidence of his parliamentary colleagues to take on the role.
Meanwhile, in a written statement to media, Mr. King said: “I was called to Government House by Governor Andrew Murdoch this morning. He informed me that he had a letter signed by members of the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) parliamentary caucus asking to remove me as Opposition Leader. My commitment to my constituency, the membership of the OBA and the people of Bermuda remains unwavering.”
We will have more details on this developing story in a subsequent report.
