apologise to Speaker of the House of Assembly Stanley Lowe for.

And she said: "I guess I'll just now wait to see what happens -- but as far as I'm concerned, I did not insult the Speaker.'' Ms Gordon spoke out after she walked out of the House on Friday following a clash with Health and Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome.

Mr. Bascome accused Ms Gordon of "jealousy'' after she launched an attack on "social princess'' Premier Jennifer Smith -- leading to Ms Gordon demanding an apology from the Minister.

Mr. Lowe, however, ruled in favour of Mr. Bascome.

Ms Gordon then questioned "the degree of justice'' the Opposition would get in the House -- which prompted Mr. Lowe to ask for an apology from Ms Gordon.

Now Mr. Lowe -- when the House resumes next month -- could discipline Ms Gordon or even suspend her from the chamber.

Ms Gordon said: "I will have to wait until the House reopens -- but if you look at the statement, quite honestly, as far as I'm concerned, should I allow myself to be intimidated into saying something against my beliefs? "I really believe there was some disparity in the way things were handled.

That does not mean the Speaker was unjust or unfair. But that's up for the Speaker to judge.'' Ms Gordon added: "When you look at the statement, that's a decision he must make. because there was a concern about perceived justice.

"If the Speaker believes he was being just, no action needs to be taken.'' Ms Gordon said that the Opposition had written several letters to Mr. Lowe highlighting concerns about standards of behaviour in the House and discipline -- but had not yet received a reply.

And she accused Government -- especially Premier Jennifer Smith -- of attempting to direct Mr. Lowe's decisions from the sidelines.

Gordon stands firm Ms Gordon added that Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans was ordered to apologise to Australian-born Opposition MP Kim Young by the Speaker after she accused her of "latent'' racism on the grounds she was born in a country which treated aborigines -- a politically incorrect term replaced by First Australians -- badly.

But she said Dame Lois had been allowed to apologise "in her own way'' -- which turned into a justification of her comments using press reports on discrimination against First Australians.

Ms Gordon added that Government MP Dale Butler was allowed to speak on the motion to adjourn on Friday after Mr. Lowe had brought down the gavel -- a consideration not given to Opposition MPs at an earlier sitting of the House.

Mr. Lowe could not be contacted over the weekend for comment on how he will handle the row.

But Ms Gordon said: "If the Speaker wishes to take this to a level, if he feels I have in some way violated the rules of the House, he must first make me understand why.

"I know what I said -- he cannot take inferences from words. You have to say something to apologise for. You can't infer something or assume an inference.'' But she added: "If I was wrong, I would be the first person to apologise for making the Speaker think I was trying to be disrespectful to him.'' "But I can't help what I feel and I will apologise in my own way.''