One Bermuda Alliance leaders have been accused of “disrespect and indecency” by a former parliamentary candidate for the party.

Vic Ball also condemned the opposition hierarchy for allegedly breaching the party’s constitution in an effort to freeze him out of a run for Parliament.

Mr Ball, who represented the OBA in Smith’s West in the October 2020 General Election, spoke to The Royal Gazette after being dropped as the opposition candidate for that constituency in the next election.

The decision to make his allegations public then prompted a swift reaction from Jarion Richardson, the leader of the OBA.

In a statement last night, Mr Richardson said that Mr Ball’s membership of the party had been revoked.

He added: “Mr Ball has made a number of unsubstantiated allegations. His conduct was derogatory to, and defamed the character of, other party members without cause.”

The row erupted at the end of August when Progressive Labour Party MP Vance Campbell — who narrowly beat Mr Ball in the 2020 contest by 432 votes to 403 — crossed the floor to join the OBA and was adopted by the Opposition as the sitting MP for the constituency.

In the game of political musical chairs, Mr Ball claimed that he was left without a seat.

He charged that the party could not replace an adopted candidate without following regulations, and launched a challenge against the decision by gathering 100 signatures of support to force a primary election between the two candidates.

He went public over the matter after discovering that the primary was to be held on November 22 — when he would be in the United States on a business trip.

In his response, Mr Richardson said that the former candidate’s actions had brought the One Bermuda Alliance “into disrepute”.

Mr Richardson added: “He has on multiple occasions breached party policies in relation to communications, canvassing and attendance.

“He failed to maintain his financial membership in the party during his long absences, submitted no records relating to his activity within the constituency and refused to comply with basic requests.

“He was requested multiple times to adhere to the party’s policies with which all members, candidates and volunteers regularly comply.

“These offences took place before and after his tragic personal events for which we were most sympathetic.

“Further, and after the events of August 2024, Mr Ball has made a number of unsubstantiated allegations. His conduct was derogatory to, and defamed the character of, other party members without cause.”

After forcing a primary election, Mr Ball asked party chiefs not to hold the vote in the second half of November, when he would be off the island.

However, he was notified on November 20 that the primary would be held two days later while he was overseas.

In a damning response to party staff and Constituency 9 branch members, Mr Ball accused the leadership of dirty tricks by deliberately holding the vote in his absence, and also of breaching the party’s constitution.

The November 21 e-mail — a copy of which was sent to The Royal Gazette by a third source — reads in part: “I will enumerate why the integrity of the OBA and Bermuda’s democratic system is at stake if this vote proceeds on November 22.

“With the unnecessary delay, lateness of the rules being produced, and the two-day notice of an election, there is no way for me to have anyone there in the election hall to represent my interest, which will clearly bring into question the fairness and integrity of the primary.

“It was initially relayed to me that Vance became the OBA adopted candidate for C9 merely by happenstance of crossing the floor of the House and being the C9 elected member for the other party. Nothing in our constitution allows for this.

“No response has ever been provided as to how I was constitutionally removed as the adopted candidate for Vance to be installed in my stead, after four years of my being in that role. There are no constitutional provisions to appoint one person as the adopted candidate if there is already an adopted candidate in that same position.

“I have not been rightfully suspended and this process above did not occur and has not happened.”

He added: “Note also that ‘suspension’ would not be tantamount to removal per the opportunity to appeal. Therefore, as the constitution reads, I am still the ‘adopted candidate’.

“This appears to be a sham election devised to justify an unlawful and unconstitutional decision. This is a throwback to an era of Bermudian politics that we need to put behind us, not to be utilising to forge a future for our country. This test of leadership confronts us.”

Mr Ball said that the party leadership had “stooped to such low levels of disrespect and indecency” and was “violating our constitution to push through a reckless and ill-conceived decision”.

His e-mail concluded: “The integrity of the OBA is at stake. There is a trust deficit that we are always climbing with the broader Bermudian voter. This sham of a primary election will only evaporate that trust even further and cannot go unchallenged.”

Speaking to the Gazette before he was ejected from the party, Mr Ball confirmed that the primary election was cancelled as a result of his e-mail.

He said that he did not intend to leave the party, but was adamant that he was only willing to stand as a candidate in Constituency 9.

He said: “I have asked the leadership many times to provide a reason for my removal constitutionally and for Vance being inserted into the position constitutionally. So far, in three months-plus, I have not received a response.

“I believe the OBA will use this opportunity to suspend me because I am speaking publicly on this matter. This will allow them to insert Vance without opposition.

“I want it to be noted that I have always attempted to conduct my communication privately within the party. The information that you received did not come via my doing or my knowledge.

“However, as I have been the adopted candidate and have built a relationship with many C9 constituents across both the OBA and the PLP, I felt it incumbent upon me to address this situation in this manner.

“I am hoping that other members, donors and supporters work with me to stop the leadership from behaving in a manner that is detrimental to the wellbeing of the party and its potential opportunity to win the government.”