Tough-talking British Labour MP Bernie Grant yesterday savaged plans for two UK officers to head Bermuda's Police force.

Mr. Grant vowed to use the House of Commons as a battleground for fighting the controversial proposals.

He accused Britain of a policy of installing its Policemen in the top posts in dependent territories.

And he announced he would question the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Mr. Tony Baldry over the Bermudian hiring controversy.

"I would be more than happy to raise the issue,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

He added: "I will put down questions for Mr. Baldry either today or tomorrow.

"On Monday I should be in a better position to know how I will proceed.'' The Tottenham MP -- who has been a hate figure in Britain's tabloid press -- lashed out after receiving a plea for help from Progressive Labour Party leader Mr. Frederick Wade.

Yesterday a letter from Mr. Wade was handed to Mr. Grant's Parliamentary office.

"I've just skimmed through it,'' he said, adding the letter contained newspaper cuttings and Press releases.

Mr. Grant agreed with Mr. Wade that the proposal to fill the posts of Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner with British officers was an attempt to "recolonialise'' Bermuda, and smacked of racism.

The decision to hire the Policemen was taken by Governor Lord Waddington and Government in response to the imminent retirements of Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Alex Forbes.

Government said the move was to bridge a short-term leadership "vacuum'' in the force.

The PLP, however, has argued the Commissioner's post should go to one of two Bermudian assistant Commissioners -- Mr. Wayne Perinchief or Mr. Harold Moniz.

A non-Bermudian has not been brought in to head the force since Mr. George Duckett in 1969.

Yesterday Mr. Grant said Anguilla was an example of how Britain's Foreign Office had a policy of filling top Police posts in dependent territories with Scotland Yard officers.

In Anguilla, a British officer was brought in as a deputy to the local officer heading the country's force.

But the deputy started undermining the authority of the local man, said Mr.

Grant.

"This is typical, and is really totally unacceptable.'' Mr. Grant, who was an active leader of the anti-apartheid movement in Britain and spoke at African National Congress conferences, claimed racism still plagued the British Police force.

Racists were mainly found with the Policemen on the beat in London, he said.

"I was horrified when I heard that British Police officers were going to South Africa during the election.'' A close friend of America's civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mr.

Grant said racism had diminished following a concerted campaign, but progress was very slow.

"Few black people are recruited because of racism,'' he said.

Mr. Grant's relationship with the Police has been the subject of fierce scrutiny in Britain.

In 1985 he came under withering fire from the tabloid press when he was reported as defending young blacks who rioted in north London.

During the trouble a Policeman was killed, and Mr. Grant was quoted as saying the Police got a "good hiding.'' "What I in fact said was that the youths believed the Police got a good hiding,'' he said yesterday.

Mr. Grant, a former council leader in London's Haringay and an MP since 1987, stressed he was not anti-Police.

"I do what I can to ensure relations with the Police are reasonable in Tottenham.'' Five years ago Mr. Grant provoked controversy in Bermuda when he spoke at the PLP's Founders Day Banquet.

Mr. Grant urged Bermuda to look to its roots in the Caribbean and Africa.

He also reportedly said he was sorry not to see more people in African dress in a country with such a large black population.

The Hon. Maxwell Burgess later accused him in the Senate of being a "rabble rouser.'' Mr. Grant yesterday said his visit to Bermuda had left him with some unpleasant memories.

Although the Island was pretty, he did not like the politics.