The Progressive Labour Party fears that Bermudians for Referendum is a phantom arm of the United Bermuda Party.

PLP spokesman Scott Simmons said yesterday the PLP hoped that Bermudians for Referendum was not the voice of the UBP which he said was not participating in the independence debate.

"By asking Bermuda to say specifically which particular form to be enacted immediately is unfair," he said. "We hope Bermudians for Referendum has not cloaked themselves and are representatives to the thing which the signatories thought they represented.

"Similarly I hope they have not cloaked themselves and turn out to to be a phantom arm of the UBP. That would be unfair to do and a disservice to the country."

But the organiser of the Bermudians for Referendum, Michael Marsh replied it was not the first time that mud had been thrown in their direction.

"We've been accused of being a white organisation and linked to the UBP ? none of which is true," he said.

Mr. Marsh said the people who attended their meetings were from a wide cross section of the community and included people of all races and backgrounds, as well as the political arena.

"Some are pro-independence, some are anti-independence and include members of PLP and UBP," Mr. Marsh said. "But we are not affiliated with any political party at all and don't discuss politics."

Mr. Marsh said accusations that it was the voice of the UBP were out of desperation.

"It's ridiculous to say we are a white-only party as well and it smacks of insolence and desperation," he said.

He added that the Premier's comments on Tuesday when the group presented the petition with 14,008 signatures that the signatories did not know what they were signing were outrageous and insulting.

"We are not happy with the way this was accepted and he is accusing us of things that are not true," he said.