Faith and unity was the key message at a rally marking the culmination of the UBP election campaign last night.

Party leaders were happy for the music to speak for itself at a concert featuring US gospel star Donnie McClurkin and local artists the New Seasons Choir, McCartney Darrell, and Septimus.

Billed as 'A Concert of Hope', hundreds packed the Heritage Worship Centre in North Hamilton, waving yellow and blue flags as they sang along. Opposition leader Michael Dunkley and his Deputy Patricia Gordon-Pamplin appeared only briefly on the stage to address the crowds — both politicians asking people to resist forces of division in the country.

Outside, six reserve Police officers were stationed along Dundonald Street following rumours of potential trouble, but the rally passed off peacefully into the evening.

Inside the hall, Mr. Dunkley said: "It's not about me, not about you, it's about us — that's what this is about."

Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin added: "This is about team, team work, about Bermuda, about all of us, as Bermudians. Everyone wonders what is so different about the UBP that we would want to be in this place on this night.

"We are not ashamed to be able to stand in front of you, to represent you at the highest level. We are going to show you we are a party of the people."

She said: "You may be wondering how we've stood the wiles and the criticism and the difficulties of the past few weeks. It's because we are covered in the blood of Christ."

Mr. Dunkley said: "We knew any election period would be a difficult period, and we thought it was only fitting and appropriate to finish it off with a man who could deliver a message for all of us (McClurkin). Hope not hate, to respect tolerance and understanding. Our society is becoming more divided than it ever has been and it is time for it to stop right now."

The Opposition leader then welcomed McClurkin to the stage, for what was the Grammy Award winner's third visit to the Island. The Gospel recording artist, who hails from New York, went on to deliver a rousing performance, including a poignant rendition of 'Amazing Grace'.

McClurkin was born into a home of domestic violence and drug abuse. He began to play the piano and sing with his church youth choir as a youngster, forming the McClurkin Singers as a teenager, and later the New York Restoration Choir. Despite a bout with leukaemia in 1989 he went on to sign with Warner Alliance in 1996 with his self-titled LP and has since become an internationally-recognised artist.