Bermuda Times to the Progressive Labour Party.

But the Times was not the only newspaper to come under fire in the House of Assembly yesterday with The Royal Gazette lashed by the Opposition as part of the machinery of the United Bermuda Party's election campaign.

And the Mid-Ocean News Curmudgeon column was also attacked by the PLP for attacks on its members.

Replying to reports of damaging rumours about him, Mr. Edness said that he had not heard of any rumours.

But the Minister said: "I am talking about, on a weekly basis, Mr. Larry Burchall who had taken to creating stories involving myself and certain other members of the Government in the Bermuda Times.

"He creates innuendo. He has started to systematically say negative things, creating negative innuendo.'' He was speaking about a story in which Larry Burchall had created a letter to the Queen suggesting that the Minister should get a lordship.

Mr. Edness said: "He then points out a list of negative things about why I should not get a lordship. This is something that is aimed at denigrating my reputation.

"Maybe this would not be so significant but the owner of the newspaper is a candidate for the PLP Dr. Ewart Brown. And what I have heard is that Mr.

Burchall not only writes for the newspaper but is campaign manager in Warwick West for Dr. Brown.

"I have to ask myself why is Mr. Burchall writing poison pen letters about me every week?'' Opposition leader Mr. Freddie Wade denied that Mr. Burchall is a member of the party stating that he was just a journalist.

But he attacked Curmudgeon, in the Mid-Ocean News, stating: "He takes on the BIU, the dumb PLP and some of its dumb ministers. He spreads his venom but nobody complains about the Mid-Ocean News.

"Nobody looks at The Royal Gazette and the Mid-Ocean News and asks who is on the board of directors? How many UBP ministers have shares?'' Mr. Wade also blasted cartoonist Mr. Peter Woolcock for his satirical cartoons which, he said, always make the PLP the butt of his jokes.

He said that he was often misquoted in The Royal Gazette and is then blasted on his misquotes.

Mr. Wade and Shadow Environment Minister Mr. Julian Hall attacked the newspaper for carrying stories which, they say, claim that the Opposition do not support the fight against drugs in the country.

The PLP leader said: "They have created innuendo that the PLP is trying to destroy the National Drug Commission when all we said was that the Premier should not be able to appoint the whole commission. It is not political when he tries to appoint people, but it is political when we complain.'' Mr. Wade said that the UBP was getting into the pre-election period. He said: "All their machinery is getting into place especially the print media The Royal Gazette and the Mid-Ocean News.

"The Washington Post and the New York Times back candidates but in a country where you have only one daily newspaper it should report the news accurately and as fairly as possible.'' Mr. Hall had earlier accused The Royal Gazette of fuelling a rumour mill, which had hurt members of the PLP. He said that the newspaper knew about the rumours, which he said came from UBP members, but did not print them until the story about Mr. Edness arose.

Finance Minister Dr. David Saul defend Mr. Woolcock saying that cartoons had dealt with all political parties.

But Dr. Saul said that "silly'' statements by some PLP members, like "Bermuda is not a democracy because there has not been change of Government for 25 years,'' made them obvious targets.

The attacks on the Press were made during the Motion to Adjourn last night.

The remainder of the Motion to Adjourn will appear in tomorrow's newspaper.