HAMILTON, Bermuda, CMC - Opposition legislator Terry Lister Friday announced he had quit the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) complaining of poor treatment.

"I will no longer stand as a PLP MP, but I will stand for Bermuda," said Lister, the parliamentary representative for Sandys South.

Lister, a former cabinet minister, had twice put himself up for the leadership of the PLP which lost to the One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) in last December's general election after 14 years in power.

He told parliament that the past few years had been "extremely difficult" and "less than satisfying" and that he had turned down an offer to be Shadow Finance Minister, but was surprised to hear the shadow team had been selected before he even got a reply.

Lister's resignation leaves the PLP with 16 seats to the OBA's 19 and comes after veteran PLP MP Randy Horton's election to the position of Speaker of the House, despite opposition from his own party to accept the post.

Reports suggest Horton may get the boot from the PLP.

Lister became an MP in 1998, the year the PLP ended 30 years of rule by the now defunct United Bermuda Party. He defeated the OBA's Toni Spring in last year's general election, winning by 516 votes to 397.

In October 2010, Lister was part of three-way battle for the party leadership after Dr Ewart Brown resigned, but Paula Cox won with 124 votes, with Lister coming second with 39 votes.