the wake of an attack by former Progressive Labour Party golden boy and by-election candidate Craig Walls.

Mr. Walls -- who crashed in the rock-solid seat of Paget East in May -- hit out at his former party in a recent edition of the Bermuda Industrial Union's Workers' Voice.

Financial portfolio accountant Mr. Walls hit out at party centralisation, the PLP's "loser's mentality'' -- and its fear of the Press.

Mr. Walls, who may switch horses to contest the St. George's South seat for the UBP in the next General Election, said: "After running for the PLP in the heart of the infidel, Ms Smith told me that there were people in the PLP who did not like the way I ran.

"They probably fit into that group that has been losing for the past 30 years.'' Mr. Walls added: "I view politics as a big game -- the majority of the people who I have met in the PLP really take themselves too seriously.

"What they need to do is loosen up and take some chances ... if you have been losing for 30 years you must be doing something wrong.

"There is this pervasive attitude in their camp that everything is just fine.'' Mr. Walls claimed that "the Opposition Leader's Office and her circle were in a tizzy'' because he refused to submit every public statement for vetting beforehand.

He said: "Initially, I felt that I could only work with the PLP. However, after getting involved and becoming thoroughly appraised of their platform, I could see more clearly why they have been unable to attract the votes necessary to take them over the top.'' Mr. Walls charged that there were party campaign chiefs who were scared of The Royal Gazette .

But he said he had won massive coverage for himself and his party -- despite UBP primary candidates massive spending power in advertising.

Mr. Walls added: "If the PLP had a more positive message, one that dealt with vision, solutions and substance as opposed to pipe dreams, complaints and moaning and groaning, the press would be all over them.

"One thing I learned about the Press is that they are hungry for local news.'' Mr. Walls, considered to be a new wave PLP candidate, got just 38 votes in the Paget East by-election.

That was just one vote more than United Bermuda Party maverick Sanders Frith Brown picked up as an Independent Unfettered Bermuda Party candidate and one less than PLP firebrand Rolfe Commissiong got in the previous by-election in 1994.

POLITICS PTL