THE Progressive Labour Party has been accused of playing the race card after launching an attack on a prospective Opposition politician.

PLP spokesman Scott Simmons yesterday took a swipe at attorney Mark Pettingill ? who was unveiled as a United Bermuda Party election candidate earlier this week ? claiming that he needed to show "a measure of humility".

Mr. Pettingill will stand for the UBP in Warwick West at the next General Election. The constituency's current Parliamentary representative, Shadow Education Minister Neville Darrell, announced that he will be stepping down at the next election for health reasons.

After paying tribute to Mr. Darrell for his "noteworthy service", Mr. Simmons yesterday went on the offensive, claiming that Mr. Pettingill knew nothing of certain segments of the community.

"Providing expensive legal advice to black males, arranging the terms of bail for black males and defending black males in the courts in this country is the job of any lawyer if they so desire," Mr. Simmons said in a statement.

"However, being conscientious enough to provide free legal advice to black males who do not have the means to pay, improving their self-esteem through careful counsel and solid role models, helping them find not just a job but a career and working in the community to help them achieve community acceptance is the responsibility of us all.

"The PLP suggests that the UBP adopted candidate take a page out of the Shadow Minister's handbook, exercise a measure of humility and respect for a segment of our community he knows very little about and demonstrate understanding for those who have been on the front line of this difficult issue, most notably segments of our community, this Government and this party.

But last night Mr. Pettingill, who has previously represented the UBP in the Senate, hit back, claiming that Mr. Simmons had not researched his subject.

"Scott Simmons is trying to put the typical PLP rhetorical spin on things and is clearly misinformed and misguided," he said.

"I have made it a personal matter to help many people for free both legally, educationally and personally. People that know me are aware of my background and what I have done and it strikes me that he may well be attempting to stereotype me as a result of race.

"I would advise him to research facts about people carefully before engaging in his role of voice box for the PLP. Spokesmen should not only speak but ensure that they are well researched which he clearly is not.

"I have done legal aid work my whole career in addition to advice and if they are on the front line then they should start to do something instead of just talking the same old talk."