A Government trip to the UK Labour Party conference is gouging the taxpayer, Opposition leader Pamela Gordon said yesterday.

And the United Bermuda Party has withdrawn Sen. Maxwell Burgess from the trip in protest at the Progressive Labour Party Government's decision not to pay for the trip out of party funds.

The UBP had already said they would send Sen. Burgess -- but pay his expenses out of party funds.

Ms Gordon said: "It's inappropriate and unacceptable for Government to be spending taxpayers' dollars to do this event.'' And she questioned the use of a Civil Service team -- including Tourism director Gary Phillips -- to man a booth at the Bournemouth, England, conference.

Ms Gordon said: "It's completely wrong to utilise civil servants, who are impartial, in going to any party political conference...

"And Government members should not be going -- not even to host a booth -- because it compromises the integrity of civil servants.'' She added: "This is just another way to swell their numbers and have more people attend. They are having party funds in effect mingled with Government funds so they can send more people.'' Ms Gordon said the Government money spent at the conference would be used to help pay for the UK Labour Party's conference expenses -- whether Bermudians wished their tax money to be used that way or not.

And she demanded a full accounting of cost and the numbers, including civil servants, sent to England as part of Government's group.

Ms Gordon added: "It's improper -- the PLP haven't learned the lesson yet, but they shouldn't learn the lesson at the expense of the Bermuda taxpayers.'' Premier Jennifer Smith announced on Monday that she would be joining a three-strong team of Government Ministers at the conference to personally host a Bermuda reception.

The PLP -- as a party -- have sent three official delegates to the conference, including just-replaced General Secretary Walter Roban, which will be paid for out of party funds.

But Ms Gordon said civil servants had been used to help make arrangements for the political group as well.

She added: "As far as the delegation is concerned, I'm aware that civil servants were making all the arrangements for what has now been deemed to be a political delegation.'' And Ms Gordon queried why it had only just been revealed that the PLP party delegation would also go to Bournemouth -- weeks after it was announced Government would attend.

She said: "All of a sudden, we get this hastily put together press conference. If this was the plan, I don't see why we're hearing about it the day before the Premier left to attend the conference.'' Ms Gordon added: "While we recognise it's important to network and get to know new people, there are many ways this can be done.'' And she said she did not believe the trip had been budgeted for -- adding to extra Government expenditure over the year.

Ms Gordon added: "It all ends up becoming a burden to the taxpayer by way of increased taxation.'' Opposition Leader Pamel Gordon