The Progressive Labour Party last night made history -- and ended 30 years of UBP rule with a crushing 26-14 landslide and 54 percent of the national vote.

A wave of emotion swamped the UBP's strategy of stressing the economy and the fragility of the Island's future.

And now the PLP will form a Government for the first time since it was founded in 1963.

Party leader Jennifer Smith -- speaking outside her party headquarters in a jammed Court Street -- last night told cheering crowds that yesterday was truly "a date with destiny''.

And she said: "Tomorrow the sun will rise on a new Bermuda and I just want to thank you for making it happen.'' She added: "This is not just a victory for the Progressive Labour Party, it's a victory for all of Bermuda.'' Ms Smith thanked the people of Bermuda for their backing -- and added that votes of young first- and second-time voters were crucial to the party's victory.

Ms Smith said: "I'm especially proud of the young of Bermuda -- our young people have made a decisive difference in the historic decision we celebrate...the passionate involvement of young people in the electoral process gives me as much satisfaction as the result, which was largely determined by their votes.'' And she pledged: "I promise you we will keep that trust you have placed in the Progressive Labour Party team.

"Your vote is an endorsement of the vision embraced in our platform for a new Bermuda.'' Ms Smith also remembered PLP pioneers -- and singled out the late Frederick Wade, whom she succeeded as leader, and her former running mate Leon (Jimmy) Williams, who died earlier this year.

She said: "This victory was also theirs and the Country owes them all a great debt.'' And in a sideways swipe at claims the PLP was weak on the economy, she said: "I must also express my gratitude to the members of the local business community and the international business community for the support they gave to the Progressive Labour Party's election campaign.'' Last night Premier Pamela Gordon, who remains in office until Ms Smith is sworn in, paid tribute to her successor and passed on the crown of "People's Premier'' with which she began her leadership less than two years ago.

She said: "They won, we lost -- we've got a lot of work to do and if this is what the people of Bermuda need to start the healing process, then we need to get busy.'' And she did not rule out stepping down as leader of her party after a massive defeat.

Ms Gordon said: "That's up to the group -- normally when someone has this much of a loss, they throw them out.'' But her party rallied round after she talked of quitting and called on her to stay.

She added: "I'll have to do some soul-searching -- it's a very significant message to us, to the UBP, that the country wanted a change.

"I think we've heard that message loud and clear and I don't know if my carrying on will be beneficial.

UBP given `reality check' at the polls "It's one of those things, I guess I'll have to sleep on it. This is a reality check. Thirty years as the Government -- like the PLP don't know how to be the Government, we don't know how to be the Opposition.'' She added: "The fact is all of that needs to be considered -- but buck stops here.'' Ms Gordon accepted she took on a party in tatters after the row over the Independence Referendum in 1995, the long-running sore of the McDonald's burger war which split the party further and sailed straight into controversy over the sacking of ex-Police Commissioner Colin Coxall.

But she denied that she had been made the fall guy for a UBP which had ripped itself apart.

She said: "Even though all these were in place, I accepted the job knowing the limited amount of time, but not understanding the groundswell of feeling in the black community that it should be a fully black-run Government.'' Ms Gordon added: "To me, if we have a strong economy you can make anything work -- but a large part of it is people's self-worth.'' And she warned: "Perhaps this gives them a feeling of belonging -- once they are able to do that, then look out five years from now.'' She added the UBP had proved its record of good Government over 30 years in charge -- but said there was "one component missing''.

She said she hoped that now a majority black party was poised to govern, people would start to look at parties, not colour, in the future.

Ms Gordon admitted she was "very surprised'' by the scale of her party's defeat.

But she added: "When you run a campaign based on emotion and not fact-based, on the issues of race, black versus white as opposed to concerns of who is best to run the economy, there isn't anything you could have done better.'' And she said -- if the UBP had won -- there "might have been a lot of dissension and negativity''.

But Ms Gordon insisted the UBP would "rebuild in a manner where we feel a sense of comfort''.

And she added: "The reason we're doing that is because we still want a Bermuda for all of us.'' But she said: "I'm asking Bermuda to recognise that, for the first time in our history, we've shown ourselves a true democracy.

"And we must give the Government full support because Bermuda must come first -- it always has to be first.'' Among the UBP big guns who lost their seats were Deputy Premier Jerome Dill, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Maxwell Burgess and Health and Family Services Minister Wayne Furbert -- the last two in a Hamilton West double whammy for the party.

Also down and out were UBP heavyweight Quinton Edness, who lost what must be the last round of a long political career in Warwick West, and Senate Leader E.T. (Bob) Richards in Warwick East.

And Ann Cartwright DeCouto -- one of the prime movers behind the backbench revolt over the granting of permission for a McDonald's burger franchise to a firm involving ex-UBP Premier Sir John Swan and Maxwell Burgess -- also got fried at the polls.

Even early last night, the contrast between the UBP's Surf Club HQ and the PLP's taking over of Court Street told its own story.

One prominent UBP supporter entering the planned party which turned into a wake said: "I'm depressed -- it's terrible, it's terrible.'' But, just off Court Street, one woman cheered: "Change is in hand -- it's a new day.'' Kim Young -- who with Finance Minister Grant Gibbons was one of the few on-track UBP stories of the night -- said the PLP had pushed the emotional vote.

She added: "They pressured people to vote for black candidates rather than for the people to look at the issues in hand and how they would be dealt with.

And she said: "When the country grows up politically will be when people vote for the philosophies of parties rather than race. There are many people who are black should vote UBP and many white people who should vote PLP.''