Research.bm yesterday urged the Progressive Labour Party to stop wasting time trying to glean over facts revealed in its poll — and use the data to better determine how to run the country.

Company manager Leslie Steede spoke out after the PLP refused to accept the results of its telephone poll of 400 random people, instead attacking the questions as "ridiculous" and the findings as "voodoo".

Dr. Steede pointed out that the United Bermuda Party had in fact fared much worse than the PLP in the poll.

Under-fire Opposition leader Kim Swan, whom the survey showed is the most unpopular party leader in Royal Gazette polling history, responded by saying he was not surprised with the results and that the party is going through a process of self-examination.

However, the PLP yesterday attacked the poll on its website, pouring water over its findings that 36 percent of people declared they were likely to vote for a "third party".

The PLP argued the poll had used demographics which were historically against the PLP. On Monday, this newspaper had shared information with the PLP showing that 46 percent of the people who took part in the poll had voted PLP in the last election, compared to 40 percent who had voted UBP. The actual voting figures in 2007 were 52 percent PLP versus 47 percent UBP, meaning the poll did not lean toward people who vote UBP.

Reacting to the PLP criticism yesterday, Dr. Steede said: "The political landscape in Bermuda is going to change.

"This change will offer voters more choices of who they want to select to lead and govern their country.

"Historically, there has been two parties. In our polls, the UBP has not fared well with approval and support numbers are continuing to slip.

"The PLP has fared better than the UBP but the PLP numbers are still low — overwhelmingly suggesting that the population is not satisfied with how they are being governed and led by the PLP.

"Overall, the critique of the poll seems to be consistent with the PLP's defensive approach to the private sector, Bermuda public and in some cases their own party members.

"Rather than using the data collected to better determine how they can best govern and lead the community, they choose to allocate resources to finding evidence to discredit the results of an accurately conducted poll.

"The time wasted on trying to glean over the facts does not make the schools any safer, the economy more stable, or the housing market more affordable."

The PLP website attacked the statistical validity of its sample of 400 people.

Dr. Steede replied: "Research.bm carefully calculated its sample size to be 400 based on industry standards.

"Based on Bermuda's population, a sample size of 400 randomly sampled respondents produces a margin of error of plus or minus 4.98 percent. In research, the acceptable standard for a survey to be deemed as representing a population is that it should have a margin of error that is less than or equal to plus or minus five percent. Therefore the sample size is sound and valid."

Regarding the claim that the natural demographic is historically against the PLP, Dr. Steede said: "This statement does not take into consideration that before analysis, the data was weighted to be representative of the population based on these demographics.

"Additionally, if the survey data was influenced by 'key demographics that are historically against the PLP' one would expect that the results would be biased in favour of the UBP rather than the PLP. This is not the case. The UBP fared poorly in the poll."

Regarding the PLP's claim that the statistical weighting was tabulated using 'decade old data', Dr. Steede said: "Unfortunately, this is the only population data available in Bermuda as the Government carries out a census every decade.

"In Canada a census is done every five years. We would fully support the Government working towards the Canadian model as a goal."

The PLP argued that the poll did not define the third party "for what it is" as the question did not make explicit who the candidates of this party are.

Dr. Steede replied: "This is not correct. All interviewers were trained to explain to respondents that the 'third party' would be led by former UBP MPs Shawn Crockwell and would include Donte Hunt and Mark Pettingill."

The PLP released selected results of its own internal poll last week, sharing some with The Royal Gazette and others with the Bermuda Sun, indicating that the PLP would easily win an election and that Premier Ewart Brown's favourability had shot up to 43 percent.

At that time, the PLP told this newspaper it would release the poll results in their entirety for full assessment last week. Despite another request yesterday, the party has not carried through with that pledge.