Opposition politicians reacted in disgust after Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans referred to their colleague MP Patricia Gordon-Pamplin as a "black buffoon" and an "Uncle Tom".

The exchange in Friday's House of Assembly led to the speaker intervening.

Speaker Stanley Lowe asked Dame Lois to withdraw the remark and Dame Lois explained she had not actually called Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin that.

Dame Lois said: "I said she ought not to come here and be one."

Later in the debate Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon called on the teachings of Nelson Mandela.

The frustrated United Bermuda Party leader told the House of Assembly: "When you want to carry a chip on your shoulder, it doesn't help you have a position of power, duty and responsibility."

This came after Dame Lois and several members of the Progressive Labour Party government questioned the opposition's motives for objections.

Ms Gordon said: "We've come to the point in this country's history when we're going to have to make some decisions."

She said feedback from Government often implies the opposition is against them because of "white privilege turned black privilege".

But Ms Gordon explained: "There has been role reversal (98' elections) but in our case, there are accusations of racism if the member (of the opposition) is white and Uncle Tom if the member is black."

In addition, the UBP came to the defence of the media after Dame Lois called a recent newspaper headline "yellow journalism".

Ms Gordon said: "All of us have suffered from irresponsible journalism, but do we throw the baby out with the bath water?"

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Michael Dunkley said the stories would not be incorrect if the Government responded to questions.

He said: "Clearly the news gets `trashy' because we as members of Parliament clam up.

"They (media) are lacking the information. The newspaper has a duty to report what they believe is the news of the day.

If it's incorrect, you can't really blame them because those who know the information, clam up."

Mr. Dunkley said the House of Assembly members have to stop "hiding behind our power".

And Ms Gordon spoke said the foundation and test of the Government would be it's ability to rise above "unfairness" and "inequality".

"This is what we're looking for from this honourable government," she said.

And she blasted those who criticise the black members of the UBP just because they have a different view point.

"It goes strictly against the grain of our constitution," she added.

Over the weekend Opposition MP Trevor Moniz said Dame Lois should answer for her outburst against Patricia Pamplin-Gordon.

He said: "That language was pretty strong. She should be taken to task publicly. She stepped well over the limits.

"The speaker said it was unparliamentary and asked her to withdraw it. She said if my friend took offence then I'll withdraw."

And Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Michael Dunkley said: "If anyone else had made that comment they probably would have been publicly lynched. I would have not been allowed to continue in public life."

He said the PLP were keen to keep the community divided on racial lines to keep their hold on power.

"I hope the public will wake up to what the PLP is all about."

And he said the name calling was a device to discourage the black community from listening dispassionately to what black members of the UBP were saying.

He said: "The first thing a black person is called is an Uncle Tom."