CASTRIES, St. Lucia (CMC):

The governing United Workers Party (UWP) has warned economist George Daniel that if he runs as an independent candidate in the upcoming by-election here he should no longer consider himself a member of the party.

The party sounded the warning in a weekend statement as Prime Minister Stephenson King gets ready to announce the date for the Micoud North by-election this week.

It also denied reports of a poll indicating that it would lose the by-election in a four way fight, with two independents and a member of the Opposition St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP).