Governor George Fergusson has handed back honorary membership of the Mid Ocean Club after a vote in the House of Assembly to ask him to consider holding an inquiry into historic land transactions.

Mr Fergusson said he acted after Randy Horton, the Speaker of the House, ruled that Mid Ocean members would have to abstain from last Friday’s vote, as some of the transactions relate to land now part of the upmarket golf club.

As a result Premier Michael Dunkley and Grant Gibbons, the Minister for Education and Economic Development, both recused themselves from a vote the One Bermuda Alliance ultimately lost 15-13.

Deputy Governor Ginny Ferson will also give up her honorary membership of the club.

“It is not practical for me, nor the deputy Governor, who will shortly take on the role of Acting Governor in my temporary absence from Bermuda, to recuse ourselves from consideration of the House’s request,” the Governor said.

“It is therefore appropriate for us to give up our honorary memberships before I reach a decision on this issue.”

Mr Fergusson added he would discuss the request for a commission of inquiry with “various people with different views on the subject” before making a decision.

He said: “But it is right that I should enter into this process without involvement with an organisation which may have an interest in the decision. This does not reflect on the club in any way.”