British citizenship from the UK could spell "total extinction'' for the Island.

And Philip Perinchief slammed both the ruling United Bermuda Party and the Progressive Labour Party for failing to spot the dangers.

He said Bermuda's Parliament faced being turned into a Northern Ireland-style "Stormont'' agreement -- under the heel of Britain.

And he called for a referendum on citizenship and Independence to be included on the ballot papers for the upcoming General Election.

Mr. Perinchief -- who stood for the PLP in the 1993 General Election in Pembroke West Central -- added: "Bermudians should insist there is a full public debate on this matter.'' He said the 1995 Referendum was "a golden opportunity'' -- but a combination of UBP rebels and calls from the PLP for a boycott wrecked the chance.

And he added both parties had adopted a "dangerous, stupid, wait-and-see approach to an issue which will transform our lives and our children's for ever.'' Mr. Perinchief warned: "The acceptance of full British rights is the single most divisive threat to this society -- Bermudians should reject it out of hand for the Trojan Horse it is.'' And he predicted that reciprocal rights of residence for mainland UK people would "sooner or later'' become an issue.

He added "In my view, that will bring about the death knell of the Bermudian as we know him or her -- to me that cannot be an advantage.'' And Mr. Perinchief said rights to live and work in Britain could easily be negotiated without a change in the status of passports held by Dependent Territories Citizens.

He added that international business could also suffer from closer links to Britain.

He said: "You're either an offshore jurisdiction or you're not. We're a tax haven and the whole question of taxation for international companies is non-issue because they are exempt from any tax -- they pay their fees and perhaps that should be looked at.''