The charge by an MP who recently left the Progressive Labour Party that it has been “good at politics but not very good at governing” got rejected as “nonsense” by the Premier.

David Burt, the PLP leader, responded to remarks by Vance Campbell, the Smith’s West MP who switched ranks this week to the One Bermuda Alliance.

Mr Campbell claimed there was “turmoil” within the PLP during an interview with The Royal Gazette.

“It’s nonsense to say that we are not good at governing,” Mr Burt said, adding that the ruling party “will continue to press forward with governing”.

He pointed to the PLP’s successes after inheriting “a significant Budget deficit”, the expensive failure of the Morgan’s Point project and navigating a “once-in-a-century pandemic and managing to recover our economy”.

Mr Campbell portrayed a party split by “warring factions” between supporters and critics of the Premier, saying “personal agendas” were at play under Mr Burt’s leadership.

Mr Burt responded: “I would say you have to take the source as someone who is trying to ingratiate himself with his new party. But his comments were completely different when he was in the House of Assembly, when he spoke during the Budget reply.”

Mr Campbell extolled the PLP’s record of fiscal good management during that debate, and criticised the Opposition, the One Bermuda Alliance.

Mr Burt said yesterday that people could “make their own views and opinions” on the administration’s performance.

He highlighted that “we have record international business growth, we have the largest number of jobs in international business, and the lowest unemployment rate” through “difficult circumstances”.

Mr Burt disputed that the party had split into factions and said: “I do not think that’s an accurate representation of where things stand.

“The fact is that in every family there are challenges, and we will work through those particular challenges.

“The entire parliamentary group is united on delivering a progressive agenda. I think that is resonating with the people.”

He added: “Yes, there will always be different policy matters that people disagree with. That’s the benefit, or curse some would say, of having 30 seats, now 28.”

Asked about government MPs jockeying for politically safe seats, Mr Burt said the party’s internal process for selecting candidates was clear, and run by its central committee.

“It is not decided by me. It is decided by the party mechanism,” he noted.

Mr Burt said he had told MPs during the last Budget debate that the focus was on “policy, not people” and said voters were “broadly supportive” of the PLP’s investment in affordable housing, expanded childcare assistance and boosting pensions by the rate of inflation each year.

“There’s no PLP faction when it comes to that,” he said.

Mr Burt added that he would “not stoop to that particular level” on the accusation of his leadership being influenced by a personal agenda.

He said: “I remain focused on delivering for the people of Bermuda, and we, right now, as I announced in my national address, are working on a midyear budget review.”

The Premier, who is also the finance minister, said the PLP was intent on “increasing social investment and social protections” while the OBA “advocated for the slashing of government programmes and support”.

He noted: “That’s what they say at every single point in time. I am happy to have a debate, and we will have that debate when Parliament resumes on September 20.”