BC Liberal MLA Harry Bloy was forced to apologize Monday after making peculiar and highly personal allegations of theft and fraud against the leader of the provincial opposition.

During a debate in the legislature over an NDP motion calling for a review of BC Hydro's smart meter program, Bloy made several remarks accusing Adrian Dix of theft from taxpayers and compared the party leader to a disgraced former member of the federal New Democrats.

"Sometimes it really makes me wonder about the leader of the opposition stealing from the public -- fraud. I wonder how he proposed to his wife. Is he like his good friend Svend Robinson?" Bloy said.

Robinson, a longstanding NDP MP, admitted in 2004 to stealing a pricey diamond ring from a public auction.

New Democrat MLA Claire Trevena took umbrage with the Liberal's remarks and demanded an apology.

"I take my place in this debate actually shocked ... that it could have devolved into such nastiness, such rancor, such outrageous fiction and fabrication," she said.

"I think he's brought this house into further disrepute. It's no wonder that the public has no respect for what we do here."

Bloy withdrew his comments after repeated warnings from deputy speaker Linda Reid. When approached by reporters after question period, Bloy said that his remarks were made "under the heat of debate."

"I do apologize. I did withdraw the remarks unequivocally," he said. However, he declined to comment on what exactly he meant by the allegations of theft, or whether they were related to Dix's recent admission that he was caught on the SkyTrain without a valid ticket.

Dix wasn't in the legislature Monday, but NDP energy critic John Horgan was fuming on his leader's behalf.

"I'm staggered by this," he told reporters.

"The only reason Mr. Bloy stood in the legislature today was to smear Adrian Dix. This is the Liberal operating manual from this point on: Don't talk about policy, don't talk about the public interest, smear the NDP."

Premier Christy Clark told reporters in Burnaby that Bloy's remarks were uncalled for.

"I think they were totally inappropriate and I think it was the right thing for him to apologize unequivocally for them," she said.

Bloy was the only sitting MLA to publicly support the premier's campaign for leadership of the Liberals. He resigned from the party cabinet in March after he admitted to sharing an email from a newspaper reporter with a party donor who was the subject of the media query.

He was demoted from his position as social development minister during a cabinet shuffle last year after heavy criticism over cuts to funding for Community Living BC.