Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert yesterday challenged Government to sign a code of conduct aimed at preventing politicians stirring up racial hatred during election campaigns.

He made the call during the anti-racism rally on the steps of Hamilton City Hall, organised after the beating of Rui Medeiros.

Government Minister Dale Butler said in May that the Progressive Labour Party had considered the proposed set of standards for parliamentarians but had rejected them.

Yesterday the United Bermuda Party leader raised the issue again and said: "Politicians should be setting the standard. There should be zero tolerance of name-calling and racial slurs. There should be no references to 'house niggers' or 'going back to the plantation'."

Mr. Furbert added: "I invite the PLP to sign a code of conduct with us to stamp out racial slurs and ensure they are not used during an election for political expediency.

"Furthermore if any of our supporters use them, they will be reprimanded by us. Racial harmony will improve tremendously when the leaders of this country say, enough is enough."

After the meeting, Mr. Butler confirmed the proposed code of conduct had been rejected after being discussed at length by the party.

He said that Government would use the code for guidance ? but would not sign it because it would be impossible to police.

He told : "We looked at the proposed code of conduct and decided at this time we did not need it."

Mr. Butler said the code would not "solve the problems of human emotions" and "We all make mistakes when it comes to freedom of speech. We can have the document, but how can we police it?".

The Community Affairs Minister said the PLP never encouraged any of its speakers to get up and talk "disparagingly" about anyone.

He said that politicians, from both political parties, "spoke from the heart", adding: "We do not think that one or two aberrations that have taken place demand a code of conduct."

The proposed set of standards for parliamentarians was put forward by the United Bermuda Party (UBP) after losing the last General Election in 2003.

The Opposition claimed it had been subject to "slurs" during that campaign by the Progressive Labour Party (PLP), including its black members being described as only having "suntans".

A working party comprising members of both sides was set up three years ago but the proposal only went before the PLP's caucus meeting of MPs and senators in May.