Britain's military should join the attack to force the US to pick up the multi-million dollar tab for a massive clean-up of its old bases, veteran UK Labour politician Lord Ashley said yesterday.

And Lord Ashley warned the US: "They will find they are embarrassed internationally if they do not accept responsibility.'' The former UK Labour Minister, chairman of the House of Commons' Britain-Bermuda Society in London, said he had been in regular contact with Premier Jennifer Smith on moves to make the Americans fork out.

He added former Overseas Territories Minister Baroness Elizabeth Simons, now with the Ministry of Defence, would be ideal for the role of broker for a joint attack.

And he said he already discussed a new-style approach with Ms Smith aimed at winning a clean-up of the ex-US Naval Air Station in St. David's and the old Naval Annex in Southampton -- expected to cost up to $65 million.

Lord Ashley attended a reception for heads of governments following the first meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council yesterday.

Earlier, he confirmed he wanted to see Baroness Simons and her replacement Baroness Elizabeth Scotland to thrash out a two-pronged assault on the US.

He said: "The best way of resolving this is for top Ministry of Defence officials to get together with their counterparts in the Department of Defence in Washington.

"I have suggested that the MoD do that -- and I've said to Jennifer Smith that I shall meet with both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office to try and arrange it.'' When the US quit Bermuda in 1995 they left behind tons of potentially deadly asbestos, poisonous heavy metals and oil.

It is estimated hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil leaked from underground tanks at the Naval Annex alone -- an area now earmarked for a major tourism development.

Dealing with Overseas Territories' problems is traditionally the preserve of the Foreign Office.

Lord Ashley said: "I'm very anxious that there should not be any buck-passing over this.

"But it could happen by default and that's why I want a meeting with these Ministers to sort this thing out.'' Lord Ashley -- who visited Bermuda shortly after last year's PLP victory -- said: "There is no doubt in my mind of the very clear moral responsibility of the Americans over this.'' UK Parliamentary insiders added that millionaire American Bermuda resident and one-time presidential candidate Ross Perot had added his influence to calls for the US to come clean on the bases.

New US Consul Larry Owen last week -- in his first major interview -- also pledged to do his best to find a solution.

Mr. Owen warned that it may not be possible for the Island to get everything it wanted in the end, but hoped that whatever transpired US-Bermuda relations would not be soured.

Lord Ashley also backed moves to modernise the relationship between Britain and the Overseas Territories promised in the UK White Paper and discussed at yesterday's meeting of the new Overseas Territories Consultative Council.

Lord Ashley said: "I'm all in favour of modernising -- it's a very necessary thing.

"We need to get rid of concepts of colonialism and imperialism and ditch them.

"I think the change of name from Dependent Territories to Overseas Territories is symbolic of the new relationship -- and very properly so.'' MILITARY MIL