Craig Cannonier has been accused of offering a bribe to an Opposition MP in exchange for support for a plan to ditch a referendum on gaming, it has been claimed.

Shadow Finance Minister David Burt made the allegation in the House of Assembly on Friday, shortly after Opposition leader Marc Bean had made similar allegations against the Premier.

The One Bermuda Alliance had pledged to hold a referendum on gaming in its pre-election platform, and throughout its first year in office, maintained that it was committed to the ballot.

But in December, 2013 it controversially dropped that promise. The Premier claimed Government was forced into the U-turn after Mr Bean had suggested during a telephone conversation, that the Opposition could “undermine” the vote through a boycott.

According to Mr Burt, he was called to the Premier’s office just three days before Government announced it was scrapping the referendum. It is alleged that at that meeting, the Premier suggested that, with Opposition support, a costly referendum could be avoided, and that Mr Burt’s information technology company could be in line for a Government contract with the money saved.

“I thought the Premier was a good person, but I’ve learned first-hand myself that that may not be the case,” Mr Burt told MPs.

“Because on the 10th of December, when the Premier summoned me to his office, he did something that many people would consider unethical. The language that he gave to me was very clear, and in him soliciting my support for abandoning the referendum, he offered to give my IT company a contract from the monies saved from bypassing a referendum, and developing the absentee balloting system in this country.”

Asked by the Deputy Speaker to repeat the statement amid barracking from Parliamentarians, Mr Burt said: “I will repeat it for you Madam Deputy Speaker. The language that he used was very clear. In soliciting my support for bypassing the referendum, he offered to give my company an IT contract with the money saved from the referendum to develop the absentee balloting system for the parliamentary registrar’s office.

“Now Madam Deputy Speaker, the economy is tough, and yes my family is struggling, and yes I’m sure the Premier is aware of that, after he indicated that he gets lots of information that comes across his desk. But, I want it to be clear to the Premier, and I want to be clear to this entire country, and this Cabinet, that I am not for sale. My integrity is not for sale, and the people of Pembroke West Central did not elect me here for that, and I once again repeat it is time for the Premier to go.”

Mr Burt repeated those allegations on the Larry Scott radio programme last night.

Mr Cannonier did not respond to the allegations when he spoke later in the House on Friday evening, although a spokesman yesterday said the Premier will address the allegations later today.

However, the Premier did issue a statement last night responding to other allegations made by Mr Bean in the House on Friday. The Opposition leader had said that, in a meeting between the two leaders last September to discuss the referendum, the Premier had confided that his businesses were in “severe financial difficulty” and that “there is a developer who is willing to pay him, and his two Cabinet colleagues — the Minister of Tourism and the Attorney General — upfront for a casino licence”. According to Mr Bean, the Premier also revealed a distrust of members of his Cabinet, who had previously been members of the United Bermuda Party.

Mr Cannonier denied the claims on Friday, saying that they were “foolish” and “make no sense”.

“Why am I going to go to the Opposition and say this is what we guys are going to do — we’re going to do this and we’re going to do that while the whole time, the one constant in this has been the deceitfulness that he [Mr Bean] has called us,” he said.

“Why would I even trust somebody like that? It makes no sense, no sense whatsoever — mental gymnastics.”

And last night he called Friday’s debate in the House a “circus” in which the Opposition had put party before country.

“This misguided approach to our national politics starts at the top, with Opposition leader Mr Marc Bean,” the Premier said.

“From early days, Mr Bean has made clear his toxic view of the Government. He has described us as ‘demonic’ and ‘practitioners of the Dark Arts’ — extreme words that reflect a very twisted and unbalanced view of the elected Government of Bermuda. On Friday night, he was at it again with references to the smell of ‘sulphur’ after some of my colleagues had spoken.

“Friday’s House of Assembly statement by the Opposition leader was just the latest step in his party-before- country strategy. I must admit that I was shocked by his full-blown attack on my personal integrity and that of my colleagues, but not by his effort to sow division within the ranks of the OBA team. I want the people to know that their OBA Government is unified and focused on getting Bermuda back on track. Nothing Mr. Bean says will change that.

“The Opposition leader’s allegations were so incredibly below-the-belt, and so nonsensical, that to address any one of them in detail gives them credibility they do not deserve. That I will not do. Instead, what I will say to the people of Bermuda is this — Mr Bean’s allegations are simply untrue.”

The Premier also defended Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell and Attorney General Mark Pettingill, saying they had been targeted by the Opposition “from the very start of our time in office”.

“The PLP will attempt to prolong this engineered controversy and we will deal with it as we must,” said Mr Cannonier.

“But it does not help the work of the Government to restore confidence in the Island; confidence that is vital to the future well-being of thousands of Bermudians who struggle every day to make ends meet.”

He added that, with the Island’s economic recovery “at a very delicate stage”, Opposition criticisms needed to be “constructive and substantive”.

“On a final note, I am sure that Friday’s House of Assembly session dismayed members of the public who were listening to the broadcast,” he said.

“I am sure many people were upset to hear the level to which so-called debate has fallen, despite the Speaker’s efforts to maintain acceptable standards of behaviour.

“As Premier, I will make sure the people’s business remains our focus as we move the country forward toward safer streets, great schools and new jobs for those out of work. The people of Bermuda want us to succeed, but it must be clear to all by now that Mr Bean and his team do not.”