Independent at the next election after failing to regain the Parliamentary whip at a meeting with colleagues.

Mr. Moniz claimed he had been "set up'' by the Parliamentary party, because fellow MPs imposed a whole series of conditions on him before the UBP Whip could be restored.

Mr. Moniz, the MP for Smith's South, has been a thorn in the side of the UBP leadership with his independent stand on issues.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon denied the Whip had been withdrawn from Mr.

Moniz as a punishment for his campaign to have a register of MPs' interests or his opposition to plans by former UBP Premier Sir John Swan to bring McDonalds restaurants to the Island.

Ms Gordon said in October that the Whip could be restored to Mr. Moniz if he gave a written undertaking to attend caucus meetings and the House of Assembly regularly, and to participate fully in the party rather than act like an individual.

Moniz ready to leave party members were entitled to their own views and could express them, even in the House of Assembly, but that they must support the party line if there is a three-line whip.

Mr. Moniz said he wrote to Ms Gordon in October agreeing to regularly attend meetings, but at a subsequent UBP Parliamentary group meeting in November, a whole host of additional conditions were imposed.

He said he was asked to promise he would never embarrass the party in the future, would resign if he did, and would automatically accept any front bench position offered to him.

He said he could not give that undertaking because as a lawyer, he might be unable to accept a shadow position in certain Ministries because of a conflict of interest.

"An offer was made and I accepted the offer,'' Mr. Moniz said yesterday. "I was called to a meeting which was subsequently delayed because they were in a quandary because they didn't know what to do.

"It became instantly clear that the idea that I wasn't attending meetings was a flimsy pretext and I had called their bluff by responding to the letter.

"When I got to the meeting each person that spoke set out a new condition. I had to toe the line, not embarrass the party, accept any position offered. It was obviously a set-up.

"My whole point was that you can't put a whole list of special conditions on Trevor Moniz. I promised to do my best not to embarrass the party and to be a good party member and to undertake to attend meetings.

"It was obvious that the whole aim of the evening was to make it impossible (for me to return) because it was clear it was a set-up.

"When was the last time I voted against the UBP? I have not once not voted with the party since the last election so I am wondering what I have done wrong.

"They are saying you have got to be a good team player, but when have I not been a good team player? I can't figure out what I've done in the past 12 months or so apart from my register and some party members are very upset about the register.

"All I've done is spoken out, and if she says I can speak out as long as I'm a good team player, what have I done? "I am not covered by the whip and I am not allowed to run for election as a UBP candidate.

"I would run as an Independent because the indication I've received from my constituents is that they want me to continue to serve them. They feel I'm doing a good job and I know I've got support out there.

"There is still some likelihood that I might get back in. I don't want to rule that out, but I am disappointed.

"I did what they wanted, but they then imposed a laundry list of extra conditions. There is nothing more I can do. The ball is definitely in their court.

"Now my trust in the leader and Parliamentary group has declined because the leader made me an offer in The Royal Gazette and on two television channels and it obviously wasn't true.'' Ms Gordon said yesterday: "Trevor is entitled to do whatever he feels is necessary for him but we have to have a utilitarian approach of the greatest good for the greatest number.

"This is not an issue where we will be yielding to threats. What we want is people who can have their own voice, their own views and their own conscience but once we have consensus they have to vote with us.

"We must have team players, and if Trevor feels he can't do that, then he is probably better off as an Independent.''