Bermuda's outdated electoral map — which many believed had been dumped — could still be used in the unlikely event outgoing Premier Ewart Brown calls a summer General Election.

Dr. Brown had suggested an election could not happen until a redrawn map, giving a number of MPs an uphill battle retaining their seats, had been approved and accepted.

However, Government says the Premier's comment "should not be relied upon" and that an election can in fact be called using the old map.

The map was redrawn after some constituencies boomed in population — reducing the value of each individual vote — and is designed to ensure all votes are worth the same.

Under the new design, several Progressive Labour Party MPs will see their constituencies gain blocs of white voters, with pundits predicting they could struggle to get voted back in.

The Premier tabled the new map this summer, but United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan has repeatedly complained about his unwillingness to get it approved by the House of Assembly and signed by the Governor.

When the Opposition raised those concerns again on the last night of the Parliamentary session, Dr. Brown told them they needed to relax and "have a good time".

He claimed that, because the new map had been tabled, it would have to be given approval by the House ahead of any election; appearing to render the old map redundant.

Asked for clarification, Dr. Brown's acting press secretary replied with a comment attributed to a Government spokesperson.

"The law is that until the draft order is approved by the House, signed by the Governor and gazetted, any election called will be called on the basis of the existing boundaries," said the statement.

"An interpolation does not form part of the debate or the record and, as such, if members heard this it should not be relied upon for its content or import."

Last night, Mr. Swan said this claim was bizarre, as the Premier was making his comment on a point of order, which he said was "far different" to an interpolation.

A Government House spokesman said: "In the unlikely event that a General Election were necessary prior to the commencement of the next session of Parliament it would be for the Premier to decide whether to recall Parliament in advance of the dissolution of Parliament to consider the draft order, which would put in place the changes recommended by the Constituency Boundaries Commission.

"This is not a requirement but would be at the discretion of the Premier. I think that it can be taken that the Premier's comments indicate his view on how he would handle the situation if this unlikely scenario arose."

Mr. Swan said at a UBP press conference the day before Cup Match: "The boundaries report has been completed over several months now, but unfortunately it has not been dealt with in the House of Assembly.

"Government should do the right thing and discuss it as soon as possible."

Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards, who was on the committee that redrew the map, said: "Quite frankly, it's offensive for the work that this commission did, in good faith, to be just treated so trivially.

"I was pleased with the work the commission did but I'm very displeased as to how our report has been treated as something inconsequential by the Premier and Government."