said last night.

And she added Bermudians might be prepared to give up the noose for murderers -- if a tough penalty like life without parole was adopted instead.

Ms Gordon said early canvassing after Britain's rewrite of relations with its overseas territories said it wanted an end to the death penalty showed a shift since a referendum backed hanging in 1991.

She said: "Even though Bermuda as whole is seen to be pro-capital punishment, when we've been talking to people and helping them understand what it means, they are not as strongly against abolition if there is an alternative which could act as a deterrent.

"That's why we floated the concept of life without parole -- that's one of the things we would be looking at and if we get support, we will recommend it to Government.'' But she stressed the Opposition would not take a position on the death penalty until as many views as possible had been canvassed.

Ms Gordon was speaking at the third and last of a series of road shows designed to take proposals in a UK White Paper on the colonies out into the community.

Britain has offered full UK citizenship with the right to live and work in the UK to all its Overseas Territories.

But in return, it wants to see tough UK/Euro style laws on financial regulation and human rights -- with the option of imposing a death penalty ban from Westminster if the colonies do not play ball.

Ms Gordon said: "What may be a viable alternative is life without parole so a person who commits the crime does the time.

"That has to be the trade-off for murder and for taking capital punishment off the books.'' But she added: "That may still be perceived to be too draconian and the people we canvass might say that's too hard.

"We don't have to make decisions right now -- we are at the stage of putting out information and looking for feedback.'' Death penalty rethink Shadow Finance Minister Grant Gibbons said that British-appointed Governors had consistently commuted sentences of death -- and would continue to do so.

He said: "If it's on the books but it's never going to be used, are we going to lose anything if we abolish it? "And the UK Parliament has said if we don't do something about it ourselves, they will just pass an Act of the UK Parliament and do it for us.'' One member of the audience predicted that the UK forcing the issue would bring the Independence debate back to the boil.

Ms Gordon said: "We have to acknowledge that the biggest concern to some people is the ability to have autonomy and if the UK passes an Act, which has not been done before, and people feel threatened, what next?'' Around 30 people attended the meeting at Hamilton's Cathedral Hall, down on previous events in the west and east of the country.

But Ms Gordon insisted she was not disappointed because a meeting for UBP members had attracted a large crowd and the other two meetings had been well-attended.

She added private groups -- including a group of young Bermudian city workers seen yesterday -- had asked for private presentations.