It was a cliffhanger. The United Bermuda Party received a new mandate in yesterday's general election, but the Progressive Labour Party gained three seats and left the Government with a 22-18 majority. That matched the result from 1980, the UBP's closest-ever brush with defeat. The UBP held its share of the popular vote at the 50 percent level it has never dipped below. But the PLP picked up votes that deserted the National Liberal Party and Independents, and tied its record-high support of 46 percent from 1980. It was nearly midnight before the outcome was known. Early on, it appeared the PLP could form its first Government. But UBP supporters had voted in larger numbers early in the day. Their ballots, bunched at the bottoms of boxes, gave the Government strong late surges in several key constituencies. Citing the threatened closure of the US Naval Air Station and the delicate state of the economy, the UBP said the vote was a referendum on the Island's future.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan hammered on the theme that only his party had the competence and experience required. The PLP argued the UBP had its chances and failed. It was time for a change, and a myth that the PLP could not provide good Government, Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said. Rain began in the morning and did not stop until late afternoon. But Bermudians voted anyway. The turnout hit 77.5 percent, up from 74.3 percent in 1989. The vote cleared the House of Assembly of NLP and Independent MPs and likely spelled the death of the NLP. Party officials were heralding the return of the two-party system that existed in Bermuda until the 1985 general election. When Sir John dissolved the last Parliament on September 16, there were 22 UBP, 15 PLP, two Independent, and one NLP MPs. The UBP elected 23 MPs in 1989, but Mr.

Harry Viera later bolted the party to sit as an Independent. Casualties last night were spread across the political spectrum. Two UBP Cabinet Ministers -- the Hon. Sir John Sharpe and the Hon. Gerald Simons -- were voted out. And Mr.

Phillip Smith sank in St. George's North amid an ongoing cruise ship controversy. The PLP lost Mr. Julian Hall, considered by many one of the party's brightest stars. His Hamilton West running mate Mr. Eugene Blakeney was also defeated. Poor constituency work was blamed. Mr. Gilbert Darrell, the NLP leader, plummeted from the top of the polls and lost his party's only seat in Hamilton East. Born in 1985 when six members were expelled from the PLP, the NLP is on its death bed this morning. And Mr. Stuart Hayward, who rode a "green'' campaign into the House in 1989, crashed to last place in Pembroke West Central. He had described the vote as a judgment on his effectiveness.

Both major parties emphasised change in their campaigns, and there will be 13 newcomers in the House of Assembly when it reconvenes on November 5. Eight new faces on the Government side are Mr. Richard Spurling in St. George's South, Mr. Wayne Furbert in Hamilton West, Mr. Trevor Moniz in Smith's South, Mr.

John Barritt in Devonshire South, Mr. Jerome Dill in Pembroke West Central, Mr. Tim Smith in Paget West, and Mr. David Dodwell and the Hon. Pamela Gordon in Southampton West. Also returned in Hamilton West was the Hon. Maxwell Burgess, a former Cabinet Minister who was defeated there in 1989. The PLP, which was criticised for running no new faces in "safe'' seats, elected five newcomers -- Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams in St. George's North, Ms Renee Webb and Mr. Trevor Woolridge in Hamilton East, Mr. Alex Scott in Warwick East, and Dr. Ewart Brown in Warwick West. Six women were elected -- three for the UBP and three for the PLP. That marked a 50 percent jump from 1989, when each party elected two women. Shocked when it lost eight seats in 1989, the UBP was clearly prepared for the closeness of yesterday's vote. Last night, Sir John told supporters his party would "start work tomorrow morning to get on with the job that you've elected us to do''. That meant an immediate call to Washington on the Base issue, but also work on more than 100 promises -- from a Family Court to a Prison halfway house -- set out in the party's campaign "Blueprint''.

Mr. Wade, who had strong hopes of waking up today as the Island's first PLP Premier, told supporters his party would fight to "make sure Bermuda has the best Government it can possibly have''. "Bermuda has spoken,'' Mr. Wade said.

"We ran a good campaign and we accept the result as the voters have given it to us.'' He and other PLP MPs said they hoped to force another election within six months, but Mr. Wade's leadership could be in doubt.

"I'm going to be the leader as long as the party wants me,'' he said last night. "I'm sure the party is satisfied with my leadership.'' Sir John also said he would lead as long as Bermudians and his party wanted him and he could meet his personal commitments. The 1980 vote, which also left the House divided 22-18, led in part to the resignation of Premier the Hon. Sir David Gibbons and another general election three years later. NLP leaders were not ready to call it quits for the third party, suggesting yesterday's vote was an anomaly. Party chairman Mr. Geoff Parker said his popular vote fell to three percent from ten percent because the close race forced voters to choose between the UBP and the PLP.

MAX IS BACK -- The United Bermuda Party took two Hamilton West seats from the Progressive Labour Party yesterday in what Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan called "a major victory''. Sir John congratulated candidates Mr. Wayne Furbert (left) and the Hon. Maxwell Burgess (right). PLP campaign co-chairman Mr. Alex Scott leads Progressive Labour Party celebrations last night.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION