Governors in Overseas Territories may be stripped of their old-style uniforms and plumed hats -- and have their powers trimmed as part of UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's drive towards `Cool Britannia.' A UK Parliamentary insider said the upcoming White Paper on Britain's relations with its colonies could signal the first steps towards the end of imperial pomp and circumstance.

He added: "There may be something in the White Paper in terms of democracy, powers and Governors, for example.

"The word is modernisation -- and I suppose that would be the symbols, the uniforms and so on.

"That is just symbolic -- but it would also mean modernising and consultation, not only in the appointments of Governors but in some of the powers.'' The insider added: "If the Government's theme is modernisation and democratisation, you can draw your own conclusions.'' He added that Bermuda, unlike some other Overseas Territories, already enjoyed a tradition of autonomy.

And he said: "It's about adapting the powers of local Governors to circumstances.'' The insider did not rule out a fresh look by the UK at the Constitution of Bermuda and the other Territories in a bid to encourage a higher degree of responsibility for their own affairs.

The Royal Gazette understands that the influential House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee recommended changes along these lines in submissions to Foreign Secretary Robin Cook after the rewrite of relations was announced last year.

The insider said: "The Foreign Affairs Committee made recommendations encouraging local autonomy, self-confidence and self-government.'' The UK is currently attempting to modernise the UK Houses of Parliament -- and the legal profession has already been targeted in a bid to simplify legal proceedings.

And the Blair Government could now be eyeing the government of the colonies in a bid to ditch Britain's stuffy and traditionalist image.

The insider said: "The citizenship element has been the one which has caught the headlines, but I would hope there would be other things in there as well.'' Yesterday, Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said there was unlikely to be anything specific in the White Paper on a drive towards a new image for the UK and its Territories.

He added that the use of diplomatic uniforms periodically came under fire from people keen to kill off the trappings of empire.

But he said: "At the end of the day, '' The White Paper -- delayed from the original publication date of last year -- is expected to be unveiled in the House of Commons any time from the start of next week.

And the insider confirmed that full UK citizenship for the 100,000 or so citizens of Britain's Overseas Territories would be on offer -- with no two-way street for mainland UK residents. But, as predicted in The Royal Gazette , Britain will also be pushing for something in return.

The insider said: "Part of the counter-balance to citizenship, I suppose, is the drugs in some areas, the hot money, Mafia money, drugs money, swilling around.

Governor may lose powers "If there is a concession by the British Government, clearly in terms of international responsibilities, it has to be clear that we are not going to be embarrassed by a financial structure with loopholes which can be exploited by criminal elements.

"The UK does not want anything which would have be adverse, not just to the UK, but to its international reputation.'' Other areas which could cause controversy in the colonies will be a British insistence on human rights in line with UK treaty obligations.

Although Bermuda legalised gay sex in 1994, it is still punishable by imprisonment in Caribbean areas of British influence.

Bermuda, however, still has capital punishment and birching on its law books, although neither have been used for decades.

The insider said: "The report did say that we should be sensitive to the strongly-held moral beliefs of some places.'' But he added: "We have to represent these countries in terms of their human rights -- some things which are sensitive locally may have to be modified.'' `If a government wants the Governor to wear a uniform and they are prepared to pay for it, there's no loser.' -- Deputy Governor Tim Gurney on the prospect of Governor Thorold Masefield (right) losing his plumes.