Leader Pamela Gordon for releasing details of closed door comments at last month's Oxford symposium on Bermuda.

The Glasgow and Pollok Labour MP said he "regrets what seems to be a breach of confidence'' by Ms Gordon, explaining the meetings at the Conference at St.

Antony's College dedicated to Bermuda were called under "Chatham House Rules'' forbidding discussion of other participant's comments.

"It seems pretty clear to me and if it is true that the Leader of the Opposition made those comments I have heard about then that is very much to be regretted,'' Mr. Davidson said. "I very much regret what seems to be a breach of confidence, and this is a very, very serious matter which will affect the good name of Bermuda.

"I think it is very important to Bermuda to have the very highest standards in all areas and Chatham House rules are widely accepted,'' Mr. Davidson said.

On Monday The Royal Gazette printed Ms Gordon's comments last month in response to Premier Jennifer Smith's speech to the Conference.

The story did not say who provided Ms Gordon's speech to this newspaper.

British MP points finger at Gordon Ms Gordon accused Ms Smith of having a selective view of Bermudian history for blaming her United Bermuda Party for all of the Island's problems.

Ms Gordon told the conference Ms Smith's comments "would have you believe that the current Government deserves credit for all that is well in Bermuda and the current Opposition is to blame for all Bermuda's ills''.

But Mr. Davidson took issue with any discussion of what was said in the meetings -- rules which, he explained, were needed to have an open, scholarly discussion of what faces Bermuda. Chatham House Rules, according to organisers of the conference, state that "it is the contributions of others that may not be disseminated'' outside of the meeting rooms.

All who would have participated in the conference would have agreed in writing to the Rules. "I thought the conference was first class and very interesting,'' Mr. Davidson said. "The participants spoke quite openly. And that allowed ideas to be bounced around which is quite helpful.

"Something like this is always useful and if it is done where you can trust everybody else to keep comments in confidence then that is best. It's about thinking the unthinkable and speaking the unspeakable.''