the Opposition's boycott of the Throne Speech after it emerged that the Progressive Labour Party did exactly the same thing in 1973.

United Bermuda Party Leader Pamela Gordon said the Premier had no place to criticise Opposition and should look at the history of the PLP before being so quick to hit out.

The Opposition remained in the House of Assembly on Friday when Governor Thorold Masefield delivered the Throne Speech and officially re-opened Parliament in front of the Cabinet Office.

Their absence was in protest to proposed Government changes to the Constitution, which the UBP claims are being railroaded through without any public consultation, a Constitutional conference or referendum.

But Ms Smith accused the opposing MPs of being disrespectful to the Queen and the Governor and of failing to appreciate and understand protocol.

Yesterday, Ms Gordon said: "I think it is with the greatest of hypocrisy that the now Government talks about their concern for the Queen and Governor when on November 9, 1973, they themselves boycotted the Throne Speech.

"At that time, they said they had boycotted the speech on a matter of principle because they did not want to break a picket line organised by the Public Service Association.

"What is the difference this time? We boycotted the speech on a matter of principle to the way the Constitutional changes were being processed. We meant no disrespect to the Queen or the Governor. It's just sheer hypocrisy that the Government now chooses to conveniently forget what it did in 1973.'' Yesterday, then-Governor Sir Edwin Leather confirmed that the PLP refrained from attending the speech in 1973 but would not comment further.

Ms Gordon said the UBP was not necessarily opposing the changes to the Constitution, but only wanting to ensure that people's rights were adhered to and full consultation carried out.

She said their concern had nothing to do with race or partisan politics, and everything to do with human rights.

She added: "This Government continues to polarise this country along these lines of race. This issue has nothing to do with black and nothing to do with white. It is about informing the people and giving them a voice.'' And the leader of the UBP said as a note of respect, and after discussion with her party, she wrote a letter to Baroness Scotland last Thursday informing her of the group's intention to boycott the Throne Speech the following day.

The letter was taken to Britain on a flight from Bermuda on Thursday night and hand delivered to the Foreign Office on Friday afternoon.

The Royal Gazette received a copy of that letter yesterday. It read: "At tomorrow's convening of Parliament, we will not join the procession at the appointed hour and file to the Cabinet Office grounds to hear the Government's Throne Speech.

"We are aware that many will perceive our actions as direct disrespect to the Queen and her agent, Governor Thorold Masefield. We wish to be clear and unequivocal, our intention is not to show disrespect to the Crown.

"However, we believe that our actions show justified respect to Bermuda and her people. It is our belief that Bermudians must be fully participatory in the changing of our Constitution.'' And Ms Gordon said she took exception to the "condescending tone'' used by the Premier last week when she said the UBP did not understand protocol in failing to ignore the Governor's request for them to attend the Throne Speech.

Ms Gordon added: "After being Premier and being in Government for a long time, I believe I fully understand protocol surrounding the Throne Speech.

This Government has only been in power for two years.'' The Premier could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Pamela Gordon: Hypocrisy