Progressive Labour Party chiefs yesterday claimed they were invited to meet a top English cop due to evaluate the Bermuda Police -- but had the invitation withdrawn the same day.

But yesterday Police Commissioner Colin Coxall said there was no "hard and firm'' invitation -- just a check of availability if UK Senior Advisor for Dependent Territories Police Forces Lionel Grundy decided he needed to speak to the Opposition.

Mr. Coxall said: "The inspection is of the Bermuda Police service -- the inspection is a matter for the Governor's office and Mr. Grundy.

"The Police Service does not decide who Mr. Grundy will see. He will see and speak to whoever he wants to speak to.'' But yesterday PLP Labour and Home Affairs spokesman Alex Scott said he understood it was an invitation -- and urged a re-think.

He said: "I just hope that someone, somewhere will reconsider the whole itinerary and include both the Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith and myself -- even if it's only for a few minutes.'' Mr. Scott said an offer of a meeting with Lionel Grundy, the UK's Senior Advisor for Dependent Territories Police Forces was made through the Opposition Leader's office last month by the Bermuda Police, then withdrawn.

Mr. Scott said he was told that pressure of time and a heavy schedule meant that Mr. Grundy could not meet Opposition representatives.

Mr. Grundy's 1994 report on the Police was a key factor in the decision to bring in British officers to head up the Police service.

The report was never made public but it is understood to have followed the line of the Tumim Report, published earlier. The Tumim report blamed then Police chiefs for low morale and frustration in the force.

Mr. Scott said the Opposition had never been given access to Mr. Grundy's report either.

He added: "The Police Service was in very bad shape, which I think is a fair summary of what Mr. Coxall was saying, and Mr. Grundy can confirm or deny whether it's on track to correct any ills since he was here last.

"I would have thought that as Members of Parliament and the Opposition, which has expressed interest and concern about these matters, it would have been helpful to have at least a few minutes with Mr. Grundy.

"It would be valuable -- if only to hear his assessment of what he intended for the Bermuda Police and what he has found on his return.

"We can't talk intelligently about his comments because we don't know if the Police will satisfy everything he recommended or if he's been thorough in his current evaluation when you compare that to what he said before.

"It means Mr. Grundy will be judge and jury -- no-one knows what he intended originally or if he will be satisfied or, indeed, if he isn't.'' But Mr. Scott said: "I wouldn't like to go as far as saying the withdrawal was an insult because someone may have felt the pressure of time required us to be left on the cutting room floor.

"But it's very important we meet with Mr. Grundy because to do otherwise would do a disservice not only to the Opposition, but to Parliament's ability to comment intelligently on what has happened over the past three years.''