Outgoing Premier Ewart Brown last night claimed there's an enemy within the Progressive Labour Party trying to destroy everything people have been trying to build.

In his final speech to the PLP, Dr. Brown lashed out at party members he says have been "running to the Combined Opposition" to tell them information they've been hearing in confidence. The Premier — who according to PLP MPs has been angrily probing for party leaks for several months — called for whomever they are to leave the party.

He later revealed he still doesn't know who the moles are, although a host of MPs have told this newspaper they've had the finger of accusation pointed at them. During his speech at Berkeley Cafetorium, the Premier also launched into one final attack on the "Combined Opposition", which he dubbed a desperate, cornered animal, "perhaps the deadliest of all the denizens of the wild".

"As there are threats outside the party, there are threats within the party as well," Dr. Brown said. "There are those who believe that their personal interests and persuasions should come before the party and the country. There are those that run to the propaganda arm of the Combined Opposition and, under cover of night and anonymity, attempt to divert, divide and destroy all that you, I and so many before us have worked so hard and sacrificed so much to build.

"I say to you, speak your piece within the party framework. Work for change within the party framework.

"Don't be afraid to state your name and your position. I and others may disagree with you often, but the PLP has room for dissidents and we will respect you. But don't come to Central Committee meetings and caucus, hear all of our strategic positions and then run to your friends in the Combined Opposition to tell them everything you heard in confidence.

"If you are that close to The Royal Gazette and others who wish for the demise of the party, why don't you just man-up, join them and fight us from the outside? Be our open enemy if you find us so objectionable. Do as you would do in a domestic marriage — just leave! Find someone else to spend your life with, with whom you might be more compatible."

Dr. Brown's anger with his own team members reached a peak this summer, when reports from caucus meetings began appearing in the media, particularly over the municipalities bill.

At that time, MPs contacted us to say a witch-hunt was underway, saying threats were made that senior party members were compiling evidence of leaking against individuals.

The media, the United Bermuda Party, Bermuda Democratic Alliance, numerous political commentators, bloggers and even PLP backbenchers have all been included in Dr. Brown's "Combined Opposition" at some stage in the past few months.

Pressed on who the "Combined Opposition" is at this month's media round-table event, Dr. Brown said it's people who don't want to improve race relations, oppose Independence and "want quiet and not peace".

He said yesterday: "The Combined Opposition has never been weaker, never been more desperate, and never been more deadly. A wounded, cornered animal is perhaps the deadliest of all the denizens of the wild. Never forget that. There are those who believe that once I am gone efforts to divide us, delay our agenda and destroy our reputations will end and the threat will recede.

"To those who have been beguiled by sweet words and hollow promises of unity once I am off the stage, I say: don't be fooled! Hear me and hear me well. The agenda that will continue to oppose the PLP and all it stands for is one that would return power to those who had it before. That agenda has not changed, their tactics have not changed and most of the players have not changed! You owe it to our people and you owe it to yourselves to never forget that."

He said whomever succeeds him today will need unwavering support from the PLP.

"That person should not be made to fight within and without the party," he said. "Too much is at stake. All the arrows that are released from Friday onward will be geared toward destabilising the party in an effort to win back the Government in two years. The PLP needs all hearts and all hands on deck. Be sure that yours are in the right place."

Also during his speech, Dr. Brown described how he believes Bermuda has improved under his administration thanks to initiatives such as day care, free bus travel, FutureCare, the Big Conversation, Mirrors and equal voting rights in the municipalities. He also paid tribute to his family and colleagues.

For the full speech, see The Royal Gazette's website.