Progressive Labour Party.

But nothing seems to have got under its leaders' skin more than his comment this week that if Dr. E.F. Gordon were alive today, he would be a member of the United Bermuda Party.

Playing on the fact that his daughter Pamela is now a UBP minister and Southampton West candidate, the Premier told a Tuesday rally that if Dr.

Gordon was alive today he would be "proud of her''.

Then, unable to stop himself, he went on to say Dr. Gordon would also be "a UBPer.'' The howling hasn't stopped yet.

PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade opened a Press conference condemning the remark.

And then there was Mr. Julian Hall, who early Wednesday said: "That is the sickest, most astounding thing I've heard John Swan say in his entire political career.

"The fact that Dr. Gordon hasn't reached out from the grave to throttle him creates some doubt about the after-life.'' *** Who says reporters are dishonest? An expatriate reporter was telephoned at home on Wednesday night by Penn & Schoen, the UBP's pollster.

Would he be willing to take part in a short survey? "Certainly,'' said the reporter, grabbing a pen to record what questions the UBP was asking.

He was ready for the first question, but blurted out the wrong answer when asked if he was a registered voter. End of survey, end of story.

*** The PLP took out ads in The Royal Gazette to challenge UBP candidates to a debate in St. George's.

The ads said incumbent MP Miss Jennifer Smith and newcomer Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams wanted to debate incumbent UBP MP Mr. Philip Smith and newcomer Mr.

E. Michael Jones on Thursday at the Town Hall.

But it seems the PLP forgot to invite the UBP.

"If Rick Richardson wants someone on his show, he calls them up,'' a UBP candidate said. "Just a simple phone call and we might have been there but no one invited us.'' Apparently what the UBP candidates knew about the "debate'' they read in The Royal Gazette , "and that's not an invitation''.

*** Ms Cheryl Pooley could never be accused of a lack of enthusiasm. The 33-year-old NLP candidate in St. George's South is sticking by her promise to be a full-time MP if elected, despite misgivings on the part of her party leader.

Mr. Gilbert Darrell said on Tuesday Ms Pooley had been "corrected'' on the point.

But the indefatigable Ms Pooley insisted yesterday she will be a full-time "public servant'', supplementing her MP's salary with one day a week's employment.

She has already given up her $28,000 office manager job. Many politicians solve the conflict between work and political duties by running their own firm, she says, but that is not for her.

However, if the voters are unimpressed by her commitment, she has a job at an exempt company lined up for October 11.

*** Community Affairs Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons must be considering a tough memo to Cabinet colleague the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto, Minister for Works and Engineering.

Mr. Gibbons was holding a Press conference on the steps of a North Street hardware store.

Joining him before the TV cameras was Southampton East UBP candidate Mr.

Calvin Simons.

Passing traffic threatened several times to drown Mr. Simons' comments. But it was not until a large yellow truck rumbled by that he was forced to pause, unable to compete with the roar.

The truck belonged to Works and Engineering.

*** It's no secret that the UBP has a well-oiled election machine that prides itself on crossing all its t's and dotting all its i's.

A case in point occurred this week when a Paget woman was called at her office and reminded by a UBP worker that she was still registered to vote in Devonshire South, where she lived until April this year.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION