Progressive Labour Party fylers calling on Bermudians to boycott the Independence referendum drew the wrath of the Premier yesterday.

The Hon. Sir John Swan said the PLP was "intentionally misleading'' its supporters on the referendum issue.

Sir John denied the PLP charge that a "yes'' vote in the referendum would give him "a blank cheque'' to negotiate Independence and a new Constitution.

"The PLP knows quite well that, before the referendum, the Government intends to release a number of position papers,'' the Premier told The Royal Gazette .

"These papers will ensure that the public is informed of Government's views on critical issues which should be included in any Constitution for an Independent Bermuda.'' Any new Constitution would be "negotiated at a Constitutional Conference between the UBP Government, the PLP, and the British Government,'' Sir John said.

"The British Government ... would insist that critical issues such as citizenship, fundamental rights and freedoms, appointments of public officers, etcetera, be enshrined in the Constitution.'' And Bermuda's Constitution would not differ essentially from the Constitutions of other former dependent territories.

"The PLP leadership are shamefully using the same scaremongering tactics on their membership and supporters of which they so often accuse the business community,'' Sir John said.

The PLP has said Government would entrench in the new Constitution Bermuda's parish-based electoral boundaries and double-seat constituencies, which the party says favour the United Bermuda Party in general elections.

Describing a referendum as "the purest form of democracy,'' Sir John said the PLP was using it as "a political ploy.'' "They have shown scant regard for the intelligence and common sense of their members and supporters by attempting to deny them a vote in this most important and historic decision,'' he said.

The PLP's referendum committee, chaired by Mr. Alex Scott MP, holds its first meeting tonight. The public campaign kicks off at the Leopards Club on April 18.

Health and Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness also entered the fray yesterday, saying the PLP leadership had made "a political mistake'' in calling for the boycott and was now trying to distract attention from the error by targeting the Premier.