to raise concern over comments made by UK Labour MP Oona King at the Progressive Labour Party's annual banquet at the weekend.

Ms Gordon said she was seeking clarification from the British Government as to whether or not Ms King was an official spokesman for the UK on the proposed Constitutional changes in Bermuda.

The Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow in London blasted the United Bermuda Party for failing to attend the Throne Speech on Friday when she spoke at the PLP dinner on Saturday night.

She accused the Opposition of being "disrespectful to democracy'' and said she estimated they would be in Opposition for not just 35 years, but for 70 years.

But Ms Gordon took particular umbrage to the after dinner speaker's comments over the proposed Constitutional changes.

During her politically-charged speech, Ms King had asked "what is the big deal'' about Constitutional changes.

"Make Bermuda a true democracy, one person one vote -- each vote of equal value. What is the big deal? It's only democracy. How does it take so long?...

"If your voting system is not fair, you will never have equal rights.'' The UBP's letter, sent yesterday from Ms Gordon to Baroness Scotland, read: "If Ms King is not a spokesperson for the UK Government and is in fact only an errant backbencher, then I respectfully request that a statement be made to the people of Bermuda to clarify this position.

"Until a statement is received from the FCO, it will be accepted that the UK Government authorises and supports her utterances.

"While we in the Opposition were prepared to dismiss her political interference as meddling by someone too inexperienced to know any better, we realise that our assumption may be incorrect and that she in fact is a messenger for the UK Government.

"We believe that the partisan nature of these facts would be extremely unusual if she has been sent as a UK Government representative to deliver a message to the people of Bermuda.'' The Royal Gazette called the British Foreign Office yesterday, but was unable to speak to the officer dealing with Ms Gordon's concerns.

Yesterday, PLP spokesman Corey Butterfield dismissed Ms Gordon's claims and said had she attended the press conference given by Ms King last Friday, she would have realised that she was not speaking in Bermuda on behalf of the UK Government.

He added: "At the press conference, she (Ms King) directly avoided answering any questions on the Constitution. She said she was not a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.'' He said everything Ms King said during the PLP banquest on Saturday night was from a political stance and not any other.

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