Party next week to discuss the future direction of the opposition.

Merger of the two parties is not on the agenda, said to NLP vice-chair Graeme Outerbridge, who described that option as "political suicide''.

The meeting on Monday follows informal talks Ms Gordon had with the NLP about three weeks ago, said Mr. Outerbridge.

He said Ms Gordon suggested a second meeting, which had now been agreed by NLP members.

"They have approached us to come to talk, it's nothing more than that,'' Mr.

Outerbridge said.

"They will be telling us their plans for the future and feeling us out for our intentions. Our intention is to carry on as a party in our own right.

"We've been to the left of a lot of the UBP's conservative membership. I don't know what challenges they are having, but their leader has asked us to talk and we will listen.

"The biggest lesson for them is that they have an understanding of what it is like to be in opposition. They will have lost some of their funding and the wind has been taken out of their sails as a political entity.

"This is a very strange environment for them. When they were in government they were a very difficult group to work with.

"They were very obstructionist, so it will be interesting to see what their leadership says. My sense is that they are trying to find a new direction.'' Mr. Outerbridge added that the NLP had meetings with the Progressive Labour Party when it was the opposition to discuss the smaller party not running in marginal seats at the last election.

Ms Gordon could not be contacted for comment last night.