Bermuda should not attend the tax evasion summit in the UK, Opposition MP Walton Brown insisted yesterday.Speaking to The Royal Gazette at the House of Assembly Mr Brown noted that Bermuda has periodically had to prove that it’s not a tax haven and re-establish its credentials as a well governed jurisdiction.“We went through this ten years ago,” he said.“We succeeded then in persuading the international community that we are not a tax haven, that we are a country that has a different tax system that was not designed to attract those who seek to escape paying taxes in their own country.“That was respected ten years ago. That respect has gone out the window with the current UK Prime Minister. And it needs to be resisted.”Bermuda should resist by not attending next week’s meeting called for by David Cameron in advance of the G8 conference, he said.“The second step is to respect the primacy of our Constitution which governs the multitude of our relationships with the United Kingdom. If we are meant to have internal self government, let us do it.”He said Bermuda is quite capable of discussing agreements with other countries one-on-one.“If we did it ten years ago, we can do it now,” he continued.“Cameron is trying to position himself in some way with either his party or country and we're being used as a tool for him to strengthen his own position. It’s highly inappropriate. It’s political grandstanding.”Mr Brown is a longtime advocate of Independence for Bermuda.“This issue, I hope, would encourage the Bermudians, people who care about this country, to think about the best political shell for Bermuda to pursue all of its multitude of interests in the global environment.”When asked for his reaction to Mr Cannonier said: “While I appreciate Mr. Brown’s advice, I have made it known to him personally that he does not have all of the details of the current situation. There have been a number of conversations that he has not been privy to. His comments are based on historical circumstances, but this is a new day — with a new administration. As I mentioned yesterday, in addition to attending the meeting, I have a private meeting scheduled with Prime Minister Cameron at his office on Downing Street while I am there.“This trip will give Bermuda an opportunity to clearly articulate who we are, what we do and to clear up the misconceptions about us that has taken time to fester. We haven’t done enough to communicate our unique proposition. We will attend the meeting, but our first priority will be to protect Bermuda and its economic model. If we can find synergies, we will, but Bermuda will come first.”Mr Cameron has asked the Overseas Territories to meet with his administration to discuss their role in combating tax evasion.In announcing that he would be attending Mr Cameron’s meeting, Mr Cannonier previously said: “There is politics involved. But I’m concerned more about what it is Bermuda is doing to take control of the situation.”And he also conceded that, ultimately, Bermuda may want to consider taking its “future into its own hands”.But he said attending the meeting is an opportunity to promote Bermuda’s position as a well regulated, low tax jurisdiction that should not be lumped in the category of tax haven.