Michael Dunkley has lamented the failure of MPs to stand up and “fight for what they live” as they debated the same-sex referendum on Friday night.

The Premier noted that politicians past and present “have a lifestyle” in line with the same-sex community — but had not spoken out in support of them.

Speaking during Motion to Adjourn at the House of Assembly, he also dismissed “catcalls” for his resignation by Opposition MPs as “absolute nonsense”.

Mr Dunkley said: “We have members now and previously in the legislature, who have said what their beliefs are or the way they conduct their lifestyle, who clearly wouldn’t stand up and support this issue.

“I find it very strange that people who have a lifestyle we are discussing at this time do not have the fortitude to stand up and fight for what they live.”

Earlier, the Premier had applauded PLP MP Walton Brown, who he said has always been very clear on his position, adding: “We need more people to speak like that.”

Progressive Labour Party MPs had questioned whether he should stand down in a similar fashion to British Prime Minister David Cameron after the island’s non-binding referendum failed to attract enough voters to make it an official ballot.

Mr Dunkley argued they were “way off base”, before pointing out that when the Referendum Bill was debated it “passed with flying colours”.

“Members on the other side say they didn’t support it, well, I didn’t hear them get up and vote against it,” he said.

“The most interesting thing about it is a member on the other side even tabled a similar bill for a referendum.

“I find it very strange that now you hear catcalls from the other side about this referendum and calls for me to resign.

“Although I’ve heard some very good comments from members on both sides of the House, I’ve heard hollow 20-minute speeches from too many members on the other side of the House who have now packed up their bags and left.

“For the Opposition to say that this has been an exercise that has to be called into question, my words again, I disagree wholeheartedly because you can’t sit on both sides of the fence.”

Before the Premier’s address, Mark Pettingill, a One Bermuda Alliance backbencher, had given an impassioned speech on same-sex marriage and civil unions in which he vowed to fight on for equal human rights for all people.

“I won’t rest until this issue is addressed,” he said.

“It is not done. This is a human rights issue.”

Mr Pettingill told the House he was “baffled” by how much energy Preserve Marriage had put into its “No No” campaign, but not surprised by the results.

PLP MP Brown said that politicians had “failed the country”, first by having the referendum and secondly by not taking a position on the issue and explaining it to the public.

Mr Brown also urged the public to engage and reflect on Britain’s decision to leave the European Union because he said it could have profound effects on the island.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, Minister for Home Affairs, maintained that the rights of the majority should not be allowed to trample over the minority. “We don’t just represent the ones we agree with or the ones that look like us,” she said. “We represent everyone and that is our responsibility.

“And I feel we have failed, yes, as a people.”

Home affairs shadow minister Walter Roban and PLP MP Zane DeSilva were among those who questioned whether the Premier should resign as a result of the “failed” referendum.

Mr Roban also maintained that some of Mr Pettingill’s comments about Preserve Marriage’s efforts “were at times a bit severe”, adding that the group had the right to express and campaign for its views just as any group advocating same-sex marriage and civil unions did.

He added: “I find it difficult to be critical of Preserve Marriage if they managed to be better resourced, and better able to get their point across and marshall more people in a more public way to show their position.

“Perhaps there are some people who say the honourable Premier here should make a visit up to Government House as well as this did not go the way that his Government presumably wanted to see.”