Attorney General Dame Lois Browne-Evans last night came out in support of Premier Jennifer Smith, and said nobody was as capable of leading the country.

Speaking out after backbench Government MPs made an attempt to oust the Premier from her leadership role last week, Dame Lois said she had no doubts about the ability of Ms Smith.

She said: “I'm a staunch supporter of the Premier. I think she is doing a good job and I'm proud of her. I'm supposed to be her mentor and I think 95 percent of what we set out to do in the first term, she has done.

“In my opinion, she's the only one for the job. None of the others, do I think, have the stamina and fortitude to do the job that is necessary to take us through all the work that yet remains.”

Dame Lois said she wanted to assure the people of Bermuda that, despite rumblings of discontent among some Progressive Labour Party MPs, the country was still in good shape.

She said the concerns of the backbench were minor, and likened them to similar incidents of dissent in previous administrations.

The Attorney General added she did not think Ms Smith would step down, but instead believed she would be Premier at the next General Election, expected sometime in the next 18 months.

She said: “(Ms Smith's resignation) would not solve anything. It just satisfies one or two people. It never solves the party's or the country's problem.”

And asked whether or not the Premier was upset by the vote last week, Dame Lois added: “Can't you see, this has been going on since 2000.

“She would be upset if she had done something wrong, but she has not. She has been excellent.

“I know I didn't like it when it happened to me (in previous years). We all have feelings, however, in politics, feelings don't seem to count.

“I want to assure the country that this Government has not put the country into any mess.

“You can ask anybody and you will find out that the things the backbenchers are talking about are petty things.”

And Dame Lois said although the Premier was not a “kissing babies” type of person, she loved children.

The Royal Gazette revealed on Saturday that an extraordinary meeting had been held at Sessions House last Thursday night, called by members of the backbench, to discuss a number of issues.

The meeting was apparently a continuation of the caucus meeting on Wednesday, and among the subjects on the agenda was leadership, backbench concerns and the next General Election.

Wayne Perinchief is said to have read a motion to the 18 MPs present, on behalf of his backbench colleagues, asking the Premier to relinquish her role as leader of Government.

They claimed she had discredited the party and complained they were repeatedly left out in the cold over important issues, such as Caricom and Constitutional change.

The Premier's right hand man, chief-of-staff and Minister without Portfolio Colonel David Burch was also cited as a problem to the party. The backbench have also spoken of their desire for him to stand down.

But the embattled Government leader refused to resign, so a vote was held.

The Premier just clung to support from those present with a nine-to-nine hung vote - seven backbenchers and two Cabinet Ministers voted against her.

Ms Smith used her own vote, along with eight Cabinet Ministers, to grab 50 percent of the secret ballot.

What happens now, remains to be seen.

Political commentators have claimed her situation is “untenable” and therefore Ms Smith must resign.

However, supporters of the Premier have claimed that if all members of Government had been present at the vote, she would have won by a substantial majority.

They claimed that loyal Education and Development Minister Paula Cox would have stuck by Ms Smith, had she been there for the vote, as would her three fellow St. George's MPs, Delaey Robinson, Arthur Pitcher and Rev. Wilbur Lowe.

Mr. Robinson has since spoken out in favour of the Premier, but The Royal Gazette was unable to reach Mr. Pitcher and Rev. Lowe yesterday, or also absent Walter Lister.

Sources have claimed that Rev. Lowe has voiced some discontent in recent times. It is claimed that backbencher Elvin James was most certainly with the backbench, but was overseas at the time of the ballot; Neletha Butterfield was also considered most likely to be the backbench.

Although no one was put forward as a possible new Premier, insiders have claimed the leading contenders would be Dr. Ewart Brown, Alex Scott, Paula Cox, Arthur Hodgson and backbencher Reginald Burrows.

The Bermuda Constitution states that the Governor is responsible for appointing as the Premier the Government member he thinks commands the most support from the majority of the House of Assembly, including both Government and Opposition.

Yesterday, Governor Sir John Vereker's Aide-De-Camp Captain Marc Telemaque said the issue was not something the Governor would comment on.

However, the PLP's own Constitution states differently. I says that that should there be a new party leader and Premier, they would be elected at the delegates conference, which is held every two years - the next one is in November this year.

Yesterday, chairman of the PLP party Neville Tyrrell continued to remain quiet on last week's vote - at this stage.

He said it was possible a statement could come some time soon.

So far, the Premier has remained silent on last Thursday's vote, and yesterdays she was in the Bahamas with Col. Burch for the swearing in of the newly elected PLP Government.

Acting Premier Alex Scott said he was due to meet separately with the PLP's Central Committee and the executive last night, to go through information and reports from the caucus meeting, as per usual.

He said they may decide to release a statement on the issue, or they may decide it was a “big yawn” he said, and hold off.

He reiterated the PLP's policy in choosing a new Premier, and said the Parliamentary Group would not break from that rule.

He said: “The way the party chooses its leader is by delegates conference. If anything was to ever happen, that's the way it would happen.”

He said the reports in The Royal Gazette were not the “official position” of Government and said the Premier had his support, and many others.

But a party insider, who would not be named, said yesterday that they believed it was time for a change at the top.

And they said backbencher Reginald Burrows would be a good choice as leader.

“He is a very seasoned, veteran politician, and is very solid,” they said.

“He could bridge the gap between black and white and does not bring any excess baggage with him. He may have been quiet in recent times, but maybe that is because of his situation.

“If you are not in the loop and acknowledged, then why would you jump up and down and make a noise about anything. You can't ask for blind support.

“However, I think there would be several contenders. In saying that, I don't think the Premier will resign.”