The ruling Progressive Labour Party (PLP) is demanding that United Bermuda Party (UBP) Leader Grant Gibbons condemn "deplorable" comments made by his party's spokesperson Jamahl Simmons on ZBM News Monday night and called on Mr. Simmons to apologise.

But Mr. Simmons fired off another salvo critical of the PLP Government.

Mr. Simmons had been asked to respond to comments that Dr. Gibbons had personalised political campaigning by referring to the PLP Government as the "Smith administration". The PLP accuses the UBP of personally attacking the Premier with such rhetoric.

Mr. Simmons denied that, but then went on to say that the PLP's insistence that it should not be referred to as the Smith administration was an effort to distance the party from Ms Smith who was the "most unpopular Premier" in Bermuda's history and that the Government was "drunk on power and drunk on champagne".

In a statement, the PLP said: "Derogatory statements of this nature made by an elected Parliamentarian towards other Parliamentarians are disrespectful and lamentable.

"We believe the electorate will agree that this standard of conduct is below the level to be expected within Bermuda's political arena.

"We demand immediate condemnation of those comments from UBP Leader Dr. Grant Gibbons and an immediate apology from Mr. Simmons.

"It is noted that the Opposition has recently repackaged itself as a so-called 'new UBP'. If this is the behaviour the electorate is to expect , then the integrity they profess to possess has been seriously brought into question."

Mr. Simmons said last night: "They (the PLP) owe the people of this Country, especially the black people of this Country, an apology for the embarrassing spectacle that this Government has become.

"For me as a black person in 1998 I had high hopes for the first predominantly black Government to perform at a higher standard, like most black Bermudians. But the Progressive Labour Party Government appears to be like the child of abusive parents who promised that they will not manifest that behaviour but have actually grown up to become far worse."

He added : "With the lack of integrity shown in the Bermuda Housing Corporation, the Berkeley project, the asbestos at Southside - the list goes on and on -they are in no position to question anyone's integrity."

Mr. Simmons joined the UBP last year after a brief sojourn with the National Liberal Party. Prior to that he had been an active member of the Progressive Labour Party.

Dr. Gibbons declined to comment last night.