A letter possibly penned by a senior officer on attachment to the Bermuda Regiment questioning the Opposition's racial politics has outraged an MP.

Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Shadow minister Alex Scott brought the letter to the House of Assembly's attention on Friday night during the motion to adjourn.

Mr. Scott said the assertions made about the Opposition in the letter were "patently untrue'', and said it was "a serious breach of protocol''.

But House Speaker Ernest DeCouto ordered the debate be discontinued since the letter appeared to be a classified document.

The letter indicates that the attachment of a foreign officer named Sgt. Major Glenn Keeble -- who was to provide temporary cover for the training of the next Regiment Sergeant Major -- to the Bermuda Regiment was to be cancelled.

And the letter, dated May 1998, blamed the Opposition for the cancellation, stating that plans for Sgt. Major Keeble's attachment were being used to "embarrass the current Government''.

The letter said claims of racial bias within the Regiment were "nonsense'', and added the Regiment's racial balance was being called into question because of "nasty'' politics.

The letter continues: "There is an election pending in the next few months ... the high profile role of the Regiment is one area where the opposition sees a good opportunity to attack the Government on racial issues.'' The letterhead indicates that the letter was sent by Senior British Loan Service Officer Maj. DC Napier, Royal Anglian, at the Bermuda Regiment to a Lt. Col. A A A Beattie in Warminster, UK.

MP furious over letter Mr. Scott said he was awaiting answers from the Regiment, the Government, or the Governor about whether the letter was written on behalf and with the full knowledge of the Regiment's Commander-in-Chief.

And Mr. Scott vowed: "We will get to the bottom of this.'' The Bermuda Regiment's Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Patrick Outerbridge, yesterday told The Royal Gazette that although he was not aware of the specific letter, it was very possible it had been sent on the Regiment's behalf.

And Col. Outerbridge confirmed that the Regiment had been looking into the option of bringing Sgt. Major Keeble to Bermuda.

Col. Outerbridge said he intended to make a statement regarding the issue of racial bias levelled at the Regiment, suggesting the complainants were "reading off the wrong hymn sheet''.