OK, I get it, as I’m sure others do … We have a by-election coming up and politicians are prone to be on their “best behaviour”. Unfortunately, that sometimes means that they are at their worst, hypocritically. They will simply say anything to get elected. But, sometimes, they just go too far and insult our intelligence.

Such was the case in Wednesday’s Royal Gazette where “PLP columnist” Christopher Famous once again sought to share his heart-warming experiences on the by-election campaign trail. This time his target audience are the supporters of Devonshire Christ Church.

Famous did his utmost best to show how much the Progressive Labour Party empathises with the concerns of the common parishioner. He even tried to breathe new life into some of the PLP’s myths such as $77 million being spent on America’s Cup. But what really took the proverbial cake was his new-found adoration of Canon James Francis.

For those of you who forget, last August Canon Francis wrote a lengthy Letter to the Editor titled “Time for Bermudians of goodwill to step forward”. The letter opened as follows:

“Having observed, with great sadness, the cries against PRCs, the demands for reparation on Tucker’s Town land, the marches on Government House and the Cabinet Office, the vapid, incendiary phrases that we are being sent back to the plantation and into slavery; to say nothing of the “ultimatum” being served on the elected government, I say it is time for reasonable Bermudians to step back, pause and reflect on what all this noise is doing to the future of our Island.”

One would think that the vast majority of Bermudians could support these words of caution. Or, at the very least, take his advice to step back, pause and reflect. But not PLP supporters such as Famous. Instead of offering views or counter-arguments on what Canon Francis wrote, Famous instead attacked Canon Francis’s character in the most repugnant manner:

“The man serves the Church of England ... End of story ... When you serve the Church of England, you serve the views and wishes of the English you serve.”

“Bottom line, the canon has not stood up for civil rights before.”

“The Church of England as a body has never been on the forefront of civil rights in Bermuda, I don’t expect them to defend civil rights or land-grab issues at this point in time.”

In 2014, Canon Francis was painted as a sinner of the worst kind. In 2016, he is being painted as a saint of the highest order. What’s changed? A by-election, that’s what. Famous is saying anything in support of the PLP.

Another example of the PLP saying anything was seen at Tuesday’s press event. The Gazette reports:

“Mr Bean said his party backed the recently announced Commission of Inquiry into the handling of public funds between 2009 and 2012 and would initiate its own commissions into historic land theft, the airport development, Jetgate and the Hamilton waterfront ‘fiasco’ if elected back into power”.

Are voters supposed to forget that the PLP’s proposed Good Governance Act was in reaction to significant concerns about the conduct of PLP Cabinet ministers, and came about only during an election year?

Are voters supposed to forget that the PLP had no interest in addressing alleged land thefts during the 14 years that it was in power and has done nothing since its 2014 attempt to dissolve Parliament failed?

Are voters supposed to forget that the unsubstantiated conspiracy theories about the airport, Jetgate and the waterfront were manufactured and/or fuelled by the PLP and its core supporters?

Are voters supposed to forget that the PLP was gifted an opportunity to address campaign financing in 2009 and did nothing?

Seems so. After all, this latest statement is hardly any more ridiculous than the statements we’ve been fed over the past three months:

On November 27, we were told that reports about, “an internal vote for leadership is not only untrue, but malevolent”.

On December 3, we were told the reduction in the Opposition’s Shadow Cabinet are intended to “increase efficiency, reinforce that we are a government in waiting, and that we are prepared and capable of handling the people’s business in the most responsible and respectable manner”.

But by December 20, PLP chairman Maynard Dill sought to address why seven members quit and advised: “We are cleaning house and putting ourselves ideologically, politically and personally where we need to be to serve Bermuda with clean hands, pure intentions and with humility.”

One can only wonder how Mr Dill expects us to interpret his statement. Are we to understand that the seven Shadow Cabinet members who resigned have dirty hands, impure intentions and are arrogant? Or, perhaps he too is willing to saying anything to get the PLP re-elected?

• To share your views with Bryant Trew, e-mail bryanttrew@mac.com