Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon will today launch the United Bermuda Party's counter-attack to Government's Throne Speech.

And the speech is set to signal a get-tough approach to Government after it has passed the first-year milestone.

Ms Gordon was last night playing her cards close to her chest.

But an all-out assault on Government's silence over probes into offshore jurisdictions by international bodies is likely.

And the lack of comment on the UK's ground-breaking White Paper on relations with its Overseas Territories, including an offer of full UK citizenship, but with demands for human rights legislation and clean financial hands in line with British treaty commitments, is also probable.

Government's Throne Speech last Friday failed to get its teeth into either issue.

But a commitment to take hanging and flogging off Bermuda's law books is consistent with the UK's direction in its White Paper, which said neither was acceptable to Britain or the broader international community.

The Opposition is also likely to underline its decision to push for MPs to pay payroll tax -- a legal opinion recently held that MPs are not Government employees, so do not have to pay the tax.

Tabling a bill -- the UBP's first in Opposition -- to amend existing legislation last week, Shadow Finance Minister Grant Gibbons said it was not the intention of the then-Government to exempt MPs from taxes paid by everyone else.

Ms Gordon last night confirmed a gloves-off approach to the new Government's record.

She said: "Our theme is getting down to basics -- it's now time to hold the PLP accountable.

"They are at the helm -- anything which went on the first year could be said to be a legacy of the previous Government.

"We will now be holding them accountable for what they have done and what they have not done.

"The speech is designed to hold Government to its pledges of transparency, accountability and fairness.

"And we will walk them through some areas where they need to be vigilant, although there is some support for some of the things the Government has done -- like promising to reduce class sizes.'' Government Whip Ottiwell Simmons said: "It's expected that Government will react, if you will, to that response and we're looking forward to a constructive debate. That is the only business.'' Mr. Simmons added that he did not expect any Ministerial statements to the House -- but did not rule them out.

He said: "There are some pending, but whether they will be at this sitting or not, I don't know.''