Premier Jennifer Smith today called a general election for July 24 and was confident the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) can win a second term in office.

At a lunchtime press conference, the Premier said she would today ask Governor Sir John Vereker to prorogue (discontinue) parliament to allow the election to be held.

The PLP is committed to seeking independence from Britain, but the Premier refused to disclose whether she will campaign to introduce this if she wins this election.

It will be the first election held under the new system of 36 seat single seat parliamentary constituencies which came into effect this year.

She said the campaign would be fought in the memory of the late Tourism Minister David Allen "to continue our efforts to create a better Bermuda for all Bermudians in our second term".