United Bermuda Party MPs -- except Pamela Gordon.

Ms Smith ordered Cabinet Secretary Leo Mills to draw up a stop list of politicians who could no longer use the Cabinet grounds for parking.

Veteran MP and former Cabinet Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge was even confronted by a security guard when he tried to park on Monday.

And he said Ms Smith put the phone down on him when he tried to complain.

Mr. Woolridge added: "It's crazy. This thing has gone to her head. If we are going to work together for the country, stupid little things like this are not on.'' It is understood all former UBP Cabinet Ministers will be sent individual memos explaining the Premier's decision.

But Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon -- who still has parking rights along with fellow former Premier Sir John Swan and elder UBP statesman Sir John Plowman -- said: "We were never that petty.'' She said the UBP Government always allowed senior PLP figures to park within Cabinet grounds.

But the former Premier said even Opposition Senate Leader Maxwell Burgess had been told he could only park at the Cabinet Office on Wednesdays, for Senate meetings.

Ms Gordon complained that several non-MPs and lower-ranking civil servants were allowed to park at Cabinet, while long-serving former Ministers like Mr.

Woolridge were barred.

But Deputy Cabinet Secretary Robert Horton explained many Government MPs were also banned from parking at Cabinet, except in visitors' bays.

Only Cabinet ministers and former Premiers were guaranteed a regular parking spot on the list of 45 to be allowed in, he added. But members of the Public Service Commission also have parking rights at the Cabinet Office for Monday meetings at nearby Global House.

Mr. Horton said: "It's unfortunate that the message was passed to Mr.

Woolridge in the way it was.

"He has served this country for many years and parked here for many years.

"But the problem arose when some current ministers came here and found they could not park because there were too many cars.

"We were asked to look at the issue to see how the problem could be solved.'' He said previous Governments always had a list of who could park at Cabinet.

But Mr. Horton added: "It's true that I don't remember any occasion where anybody in politics was denied the ability to park. But this problem obviously hasn't arisen before.'' Ms Gordon added: "It's still very difficult for MPs to park at the House of Assembly during the week because of civil servants parking there.

Parking ban draws fire "Just about everyone associated with the UBP has now been put on the stop list.

"It's insulting for people who have served this country well and long -- and who are still serving -- to have this kind of problem.'' And Mr. Woolridge said: "I think it's ridiculous. That land doesn't belong to Jennifer Smith -- it belongs to the people of this country. She used to park there.

"I've been an elected MP for 30 years and now I can't park in the Government grounds, even though civil servants with a short period of service can park there.

"When the UBP was in power, nobody was stopped from parking there if they were on official business at the Cabinet Office.

"I was only parked there for seven minutes on Monday. The security guard came up to me and said he was told to tell me I couldn't park there any more. He said I would have to talk to Leo Mills, the Cabinet Secretary, if I wanted an explanation.'' He said the Premier was "short and curt'' when he called to complain, not responding to him when he said: "Season's Greetings.'' Mr. Woolridge added: "I said I had been advised that I would not be able to park in the Cabinet grounds any more. I appealed to her but she said I could park at Parliament.

"But they are doing some major work there and only a few cars can be accommodated at the moment.

"I reminded her she was allowed to park in the Cabinet grounds for the entire period she was the Leader of the Opposition across the street. She said thank you and then hung up.'' Ms Smith did not return calls to The Royal Gazette yesterday.

Her Chief of Staff, Lt. Col. David Burch, said: "I'm sure her responsibilities in leading this country do not extend to parking.''