A “Combined Opposition” seems bent on threatening democracy in Bermuda, according to Government Senator Georgia Marshall, who suggested that the People’s Campaign was aligned with the Progressive Labour Party.

The remarks came yesterday during a bullish motion to adjourn that closed an otherwise cordial Senate session with PLP Senators backing business legislation.

Citing a March 25 incident in which protesters entered Cabinet and interrupted the Senate, Sen Marshall said that democracy was put at risk when dissent sought to “subvert the democratic process”.

“This very chamber was literally stormed by persons who would impose their will in the most contemptuous fashion” she said, questioning “what exactly is the role of the People’s Campaign”.

Both she and One Bermuda Alliance Senator Vic Ball criticised the movement, which they claimed was part of a “Combined Opposition” — invoking a term that had been directed at the media and then-Opposition United Bermuda Party in 2008.

“It would appear that what we have is a combination of certain entities to form what I am going to call a Combined Opposition,” she said.

Sen Marshall also went on the offensive against ZBM for broadcasting a special appearance by the People’s Campaign on May 11, in which e-mails connected with the airport redevelopment proposal were revealed.

“We also seem to have media outlets that are prepared under a pretext of a journalistic interview to air an hour and a half diatribe,” she said. “Who paid for that? What were the motives?”

Sen Ball quoted former Premier Ewart Brown speech at the Bermuda Industrial Union’s August 2014 Labour Day banquet, in which Dr Brown told supporters: “We must return the Government to the PLP. I’m calling for an organised effort to take back the Government, right now, right here. We can’t afford to wait three more years for an election — there will nothing left for our people by then.”

Suggesting the Island was seeing calls to “forcibly remove an elected Government”, Sen Ball told the Upper House: “Is this a democracy or are we pushing for anarchy?”

He said that during the march in protest of immigration legislation, the Senate had been “bombarded with people who were herded here to disturb”.

He also said that the country had recently seen “peoples’ emotions being stirred up over stone that was being taken to the dump”.

Sen Ball suggested that a May 15 gathering called outside Parliament by the People’s Campaign, over alleged inside dealing on the airport development plan, had a low turnout because “Bermudians are no longer allowing themselves to be emotionally stirred up”.

Sen Ball was told to withdraw a remark in which he suggested there had been “collusion” with “an undeclared political alliance”.

Their comments came after PLP Senator Diallo Rabain told the Senate that the OBA Government’s plans for economic growth did not have the trust of the people.

Sen Rabain contested figures released earlier this month by Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy on work permits, unemployment and certification of tradesmen.

“The statistics do not add up,” he said, dismissing suggestions that unemployment in some job categories seemed to be dropping.

Sen Fahy protested that his statement had been based only on people registered with the Department of Workforce Development.

Sen Rabain said he had been personally told by persons out of work that they refused to go to Workforce Development because they “don’t trust them”.

“We have to figure out how to get them to come through the door,” he said. “We can blame them all we want, but at the end of the day they are still going to be unemployed.”

Meanwhile, fellow Opposition Senator Renee Ming chastised the Ministry of Education for needlessly spreading alarm over school consolidations.

Many had feared the closure of East End Primary School, she said, only for a more modest consolidation to be announced — and other consolidations put off until next year.

“You’re looking at almost seven weeks of what I deem to be unnecessary stress,” Sen Ming said.

The motion in Parliament censuring Marc Bean, Leader of the Opposition, also came up for discussion.

Sen Rabain referenced that “hotly contested” move as he described “odd” occurrences in the House of Assembly, such as the OBA’s vehement objections to the Opposition’s Good Samaritan Bill that abruptly switched to bipartisan support.

The PLP’s Marc Daniels briefly remarked Mr Bean’s mention of the use of a prepaid phone number during that debate, in connection with what Mr Bean described as fraudulent dealings by members of the OBA Government.

Earlier, the Senate had been witness to unanimous and bipartisan support for business legislation brought by OBA Senator Lynn Woolridge.

The Exempted Partnerships Amendment Act 2015, the Limited Partnerships Amendment Act 2015, the Partnership Amendment Act 2015 and the Companies Amendment Act 2015 were all passed with Opposition approval.

The Senate has adjourned until June 10.