Former Progressive Labour Party (PLP) parliamentarian Arthur Hodgson yesterday described as "amusing drivel" an Internet newsletter opinion piece on his party's post-election leadership changeover.

But the newsletter's publisher David Marchant yesterday stood by the piece, saying that it was opinion from someone he believed to be competent enough to write accurately about Bermuda affairs.

The Inside Bermuda "letter from Bermuda", which is available to subscribers only, named him as the "mastermind" of a "carefully planned two year campaign" to unseat former Premier Jennifer Smith.

It described Mr. Hodgson as a "dyed in the wool socialist, of the 1965 variety" to whom "race is the only important measure of a person, yet he professes himself a man of God".

But yesterday Mr. Hodgson - Rhodes Scholar - said: "I am bewildered by it. It's amusing drivel!"

Mr. Hodgson was "encouraged to run against Ms Smith, crushed by the obscure branch delegate system that she controlled, and then forced out of politics altogether," the newsletter states.

"Ms Smith then turned her attention to manipulating the Bermuda Constitution, to give her complete control over every aspect of the political system. Party members dared not breathe without her permission."

It goes on to describe Terry Lister and Dr. Ewart Brown as Mr. Hodgson's "chief cronies".

"When the general election was called unexpectedly, to defeat their machinations, they mustered their forces. A detailed plan to subvert the course of justice went into operation."

It says that the Premier's announcement of Cabinet posts had "enraged" the rebels. But "what undid her was the betrayal of her most loyal supporter and handbag carrier, the so called 'colonel' David Burch".

"Offered a Cabinet post by the rebels he informed Ms Smith that her political career was at an end. She may or may not receive a damehood, and having no skills other than the political, will vanish into an early and frustrated retirement. Bermuda's greatest politician is now its least important citizen."

And the newsletter predicts that new Premier Alex Scott - a "dyed in the wool socialist" - will step down soon in favour of deputy Premier Dr. Brown.

"In due course the compromise will fail and another general election will be needed," it continues. "In that the rebels lied not only to the public but also to their own party workers, it is hard to see how any of them can present themselves as candidates of integrity.

"That won't matter much to the PLP faithful who have demonstrated that they think better a black liar than a white politician of any kind."

And it claims that the PLP's second electoral victory proves that Bermuda is a "kleptocracy in which elections can be stolen without consequence".

"That I had the wherewithal to plan it, is amusing," Mr. Hodgson said when asked what was most amusing or most drivel-like about the newsletter "My being a socialist racist is drivel. That's contradictory in any event. Socialists aren't racist. And in fact I'm neither. And I think that the writer is equally wrong in his assessment of the other persons involved.

"I think he's wrong about my sister, I think he's wrong about Ms Smith, I think he's wrong about the colonel. And I think he's wrong about Alex. I think he's wrong about everybody."

He said it was wrong to draw attention to the newsletter. "I don't even think the writer expects for it to be given serious attention."

"It isn't supposed to be a joke, I take my job quite seriously," said former Bermuda journalist David Marchant who publishes Inside Bermuda.

Asked if he was confident that it reflected what actually happened, he said: "Clearly if I wasn't confident in the person's ability to accurately write about Bermuda affairs then they wouldn't be writing for me."

But he added: "It's an opinion piece. The Letter from Bermuda is basically a person's views and opinions about current topics in Bermuda which is invariably political. That column tends to address political issues."

And he said much of politics is open to interpretation, "particularly with something like this which is skulduggery of the highest order... I doubt if there is a definitive undisputed version of what went on".

"Very few people were aware of what was going on until it happened. There was clearly a lot of deceit and secrecy so I doubt if anybody would be able to write a definitive version of what went on."

The column does not identify its writer, but Mr. Marchant pointed out there are no bylines throughout the newsletter.

"Bermuda's a small place. I lost my work permit in Bermuda for reporting the truth," he said. "No society is beyond punishment for anybody who rocks the boat. So as a journalist you are walking on eggshells. It's not because it's Bermuda - it's just the nature of any small place."

He said he had been "kicked off" the Island and "nobody gave a damn. Nobody supported me - not even the papers I worked for."