View source for Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party

{{Short description|Antiguan political party}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox political party
| name             = Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party
| abbreviation     = ABLP
| logo             = Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party logo.png
| colorcode        = {{party color|Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party}}
| leader           = [[Gaston Browne]]
| foundation       = 18 May 1946
| ideology         = {{ubl|class=nowrap
 | [[Economic liberalism]]<ref>Payne, Douglas W. (1 June 1999). "THE FAILINGS OF GOVERNANCE IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA" (PDF). Center for Strategic & International Studies.</ref><ref>"Labour party makes new promises". Antigua Observer Newspaper. 2 March 2018.</ref>
 | [[Centralisation|Anti-federalism]]<ref>"Power Hungry: PM dismisses suggestion by Trevor Walker". Antigua News Room. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2024.</ref>
 | [[Republicanism]]<ref>"Antigua and Barbuda may become republic within 3 years after British queen's demise". news.am. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.</ref>
| '''Historical (1964–1976):'''
| [[Social democracy]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gascoigne |first=Joseph Michael |date=September 2020 |title=Partyism and Polarisation: A History of Antiguan Political Culture, 1967–1976 |url=https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/28042/1/Gascoigne_206049269_Thesis%20%281%29.pdf |website=etheses.whiterose.ac.uk |publisher=University of York}}</ref><ref>Nouvelle Richards, The Struggle and the Conquest: Twenty Five years of Social Democracy in Antigua. (St
Johns: Self-published, 1964), 0.</ref>
| [[Labourism]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gascoigne |first=Joseph Michael |date=September 2020 |title=Partyism and Polarisation: A History of Antiguan Political Culture, 1967–1976 |url=https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/28042/1/Gascoigne_206049269_Thesis%20%281%29.pdf |website=etheses.whiterose.ac.uk |publisher=University of York}}</ref>
 }}
| founder          = [[V.C. Bird]]
| position         = [[Centre-right]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=АНТИГУА И БАРБУДА {{!}} Энциклопедия Кругосвет |url=https://www.krugosvet.ru/enc/strany_mira/ANTIGUA_I_BARBUDA.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.krugosvet.ru |language=ru}}</ref>
| seats1_title     = Seats in the [[House of Representatives (Antigua and Barbuda)|House of Representatives]]
| seats1           = {{Composition bar|9|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| seats2_title     = Seats in the [[Senate (Antigua and Barbuda)|Senate]]
| seats2           = {{Composition bar|11|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| seats3_title     = Seats in the [[Barbuda Council]]
| seats3           = {{Composition bar|0|11|hex=#EE3422}}
| international    = [[Socialist International]] (Historical, consulative)
| website          = {{URL|https://ablpantigua.com/}}
| country          = Antigua and Barbuda
}}
{{Politics of Antigua and Barbuda}}
The '''Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party''' ('''ABLP''') is a political party in [[Antigua and Barbuda]]. The current leader of the party is [[Gaston Browne]], who serves as the [[Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda]]. The party had previously been led by [[Lester Bird]], who was chairman of the party since 1971, and was Prime Minister and political leader in 1994.

== History ==
The party was founded in 1946, during the first national elections, as the Antigua Labour Party (ALP).  Its founders included [[V.C. Bird|Vere Bird]], father of Lester. The ABLP later came to be seen as a political arm of the Bird family. With the exception of five years in the 1970s, the ABLP ruled Antigua and Barbuda for over four decades leading up to 2004. It was in the opposition from 2004 to 2014, and then returned to power in the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2014|2014 general election]].
 {{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

=== 2004 defeat ===
Two major events precipitated the ABLP's first defeat in 28 years in [[Antiguan general election, 2004|the 2004 elections]]. First, an Electoral Commission was introduced after the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1999|1999 election]]. According to international observers, the 1999 election was rife with irregularities. The report from an observer group from across the Commonwealth concluded that "voting rolls appeared to be inflated" and recommended "the establishment of an independent electoral commission to improve the voter registration process."<ref>[https://2001-2009.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/1999/370.htm "US State Department Human Rights Report"], 23 February 2000</ref> Second, in 2002 there was a scandal over medical benefits, in which the government failed to contribute EC$120 million to cover recipients' medical expenses.<ref>[http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/caribbean/fraud.htm "Fraud"]. ''Miami Herald'', 4 April 2002</ref>

The opposition [[United Progressive Party]] campaigned on an anti-corruption platform they called "Government in the Sunshine." The ABLP lost its majority in the [[Antigua and Barbuda legislative election, 2004|general election]] held on 24 March 2004. It received 41.8% of the popular vote, but won only four out of 17 seats. ABLP Prime Minister and political leader Bird was also defeated in his constituency.
 {{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

=== Leadership crisis and transition ===
In early 2009, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party faced an internal leadership crisis. There was speculation that even if the ABLP won the 2009 election, Bird's leadership would be challenged.<ref>[http://dagarat.blogspot.com/2009/01/whos-leader.html "Who's the Leader"] Da Garat, 11 January 2009{{unreliable source?|date=June 2014}}</ref> He announced that, if the ABLP failed to win the forthcoming [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2009|2009 general election]], he would step down.<ref>[http://www.antiguasun.com/paper/?as=view&sun=281935077507132005&an=184634087212302008&ac=Local "Bird to call it quits if ABLP fails at polls"], ''Antigua Sun'', 30 December 2008</ref> Nevertheless, despite not winning, he remained the ABLP's leader<ref>{{cite news|title=Bird said he is ready for court challenge to electoral law|url=http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=68829|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720030740/http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=68829|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2012|accessdate=31 December 2011|newspaper=Antigua Observer|date=19 December 2011}}</ref> until 2012, when he was defeated by Gaston Browne in a leadership challenge.

=== 2014 elections and return to government ===
The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party won 14 of the 17 seats in the Legislature in the [[Antiguan general election, 2014|2014 general elections]], forming a majority government with Browne as Prime Minister. They won 15 seats in the [[Antiguan general election, 2018|2018 general elections]] and thereby retained power.
 {{citation needed|date=June 2025}}

== Ideology ==
Despite having been founded as a partisan expression of the labour movement in Antigua and Barbuda and having labour and social democratic origins,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gascoigne |first=Joseph Michael |date=September 2020 |title=Partyism and Polarisation: A History of Antiguan Political Culture, 1967–1976 |url=https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/28042/1/Gascoigne_206049269_Thesis%20%281%29.pdf |website=etheses.whiterose.ac.uk |publisher=University of York}}</ref> the party is generally considered as an economically liberal and fiscally conservative party,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Douglas W. |date=June 1, 1999 |title=THE FAILINGS OF GOVERNANCE IN ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA |url=https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/legacy_files/files/media/csis/pubs/ppa%26b99elections%5B1%5D.pdf |website=Center for Strategic & International Studies}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2 March 2018 |title=Labour party makes new promises |url=https://antiguaobserver.com/labour-party-makes-new-promises/ |website=Antigua Observer Newspaper}}</ref> defender of a market-oriented economy and tax reductions, in particular rejecting the imposition of income tax.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The People's Rescue Plan |url=http://www.caribbeanelections.com/eDocs/manifestos/ag/ablp_manifesto_2014.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150617235858/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/eDocs/manifestos/ag/ablp_manifesto_2014.pdf |archive-date=17 June 2015 |access-date=2024-03-22}}</ref> However, the party's policy of maintaining the public sector as the largest employer in Antigua and Barbuda during its successive governments (representing up to 40% of the workforce) has also led to the party being considered a guarantor of a "paternalistic conservatism" or "right-wing socialism."<ref>{{Cite web |title=АНТИГУА И БАРБУДА {{!}} Энциклопедия Кругосвет |url=https://www.krugosvet.ru/enc/strany_mira/ANTIGUA_I_BARBUDA.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=www.krugosvet.ru |language=ru}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=July 2025}} After the death of [[Elizabeth II of Antigua and Barbuda]], the party went on to officially support the conversion of Antigua and Barbuda into a republic.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-23 |title=Antigua and Barbuda may become republic within 3 years after British queen's demise |url=https://news.am/eng/news/719554.html |access-date=2024-03-22 |website=news.am |language=en}}</ref> The party is also against an Antiguan and Barbudan federation.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2018-08-26 |title=Power Hungry: PM dismisses suggestion by Trevor Walker |url=https://antiguanewsroom.com/power-hungry-pm-dismisses-suggestion-by-trevor-walker/ |access-date=2024-09-15 |website=Antigua News Room |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Electoral results ==

=== House of Representatives ===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align: left;"
|-
! Election
! Party leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Position
! Government
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1951|1951]]
| rowspan="9" | [[Vere Bird]]
| 4,182
| 87.4
| {{Composition bar|8|8|hex=#EE3422}}
| New
| 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1956|1956]]
| 5,509
| 86.7
| {{Composition bar|8|8|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{steady}} 0
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1960|1960]]
| 2,128
| 85.0
| {{Composition bar|10|10|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1965|1965]]
| 7,275
| 78.9
| {{Composition bar|10|10|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{steady}} 0
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1971|1971]]
| 6,409
| 37.9
| {{Composition bar|4|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{decrease}} 6
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1976|1976]]
| 12,056
| 49.0
| {{Composition bar|11|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1980|1980]]
| 12,794
| 58.0
| {{Composition bar|13|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 2
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1984|1984]]
| 12,972
| 67.9
| {{Composition bar|16|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1989|1989]]
| 14,207
| 63.9
| {{Composition bar|15|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1994|1994]]
| rowspan="4" | [[Lester Bird]]
| 14,763
| 54.4
| {{Composition bar|11|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{decrease}} 4
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1999|1999]]
| 17,521
| 52.6
| {{Composition bar|12|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2004|2004]]
| 16,534
| 41.9
| {{Composition bar|4|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2009|2009]]
| 19,657
| 46.9
| {{Composition bar|7|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 3
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2014|2014]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Gaston Browne]]
| 24,212
| 56.5
| {{Composition bar|14|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 7
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 2018|2018]]
| 23,063
| 59.24
| {{Composition bar|15|17|hex=#EE3422}}
| {{increase}} 1
| {{steady}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
![[2023 Antiguan general election|2023]]
|20,052
|47.1
|{{Composition bar|9|17|hex=#EE3422}}
|{{decrease}} 6
|{{steady}} 1st
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|}

=== Barbuda Council ===
{{More citations needed section|date=January 2022}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Election
! rowspan="2" |Leaders
! colspan="3" |Votes
! colspan="2" |Seats
! rowspan="2" |Position
! rowspan="2" |Government
|-
!No.
!%
!±
!No.
!±
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1976
| rowspan="9" |[[Vere Bird]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1979<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE BARBUDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT CHAPTER 44 |url=http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-44.pdf |access-date=2022-01-24 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119230904/http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-44.pdf |archive-date=19 January 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|
|
|
|<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Pat|date=2012-08-19|title=ALP candidates announced for March 2013 Council election|url=https://barbudaful.net/alp-candidates-announced-for-march-2013-council-election/|access-date=2022-01-24|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB|quote=The Barbuda Council has been controlled by the BPM since the first election was held around 35 years ago. The ALP gained control for a brief period in 1996.}}</ref>
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1981
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1983
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Organization for National Reconstruction|ONR]]}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Banks |first1=Arthur S. |last2=Day |first2=Alan J. |last3=Muller |first3=Thomas C. |title=Political Handbook of the World 1998 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D6mFCwAAQBAJ |publisher=Springer |language=en |date=1 February 2016|isbn=9781349149513 }}</ref>
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1987
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1989
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1991/1992
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1993/1994
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1996<ref name=":5" />
| rowspan="9" |[[Lester Bird]]
|
|
|
|<ref name=":5" />
|
|{{increase}}1st
|{{Yes2|Majority}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1997
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!1999
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2001
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2003
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2005
|
|
|
|<ref>{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2005-03-23|title=Barbuda Council Election Day|url=https://barbudaful.net/barbuda-council-election-day/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2007
|
|
|
|<ref>{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2007-03-01|title=Barbuda Council elections|url=https://barbudaful.net/barbuda-council-elections/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2007-03-23|title=Barbudan Council Election Results|url=https://barbudaful.net/barbudan-council-election-results/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|
|2nd
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2009
|
|
|
|<ref>{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2013-01-08|title=Result of the BPM Primaries|url=https://barbudaful.net/result-of-the-bpm-primaries/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Caribbean Elections {{!}} Members of the Senate of Antigua and Barbuda 2009 – 2014|url=http://www.caribbeanelections.com/knowledge/parliament/ag_parliament/ag_senate_2009.asp|access-date=2022-01-01|website=www.caribbeanelections.com|archive-date=1 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101233151/http://www.caribbeanelections.com/knowledge/parliament/ag_parliament/ag_senate_2009.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":5" />
|
|
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2011
|1,680<ref name=":1" />
|48.81
|
|<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2011-04-04|title=Barbuda Council Election Results|url=https://barbudaful.net/barbuda-council-election-results/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" />
|
|2nd
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2013
| rowspan="5" |[[Gaston Browne]]
|2,295<ref name=":2" />
|53.51
|
|{{Composition bar|6|11|hex=#EE3422}}<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=pj67admin|date=2013-02-18|title=The Results|url=https://barbudaful.net/2013-barbuda-council-election-results/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
|
|{{increase}}1st
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2015
|
|
|
|{{Composition bar|8|11|hex=#EE3422}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-03-25|title=BPM are back – two more seats in Council|url=https://barbudaful.net/bpm-are-back-two-more-seats-in-council/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|{{Increase}}2
|{{steady}}1st
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! style="background-color:#EE3422" |
!2017
|2,791<ref>{{Cite web|last=barbudaful|date=2017-03-30|title=BPM bring back Council|url=https://barbudaful.net/bpm-bring-back-council/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|48.34
|
|{{Composition bar|6|11|hex=#EE3422}}<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-29|title=It's done … time to move on|url=https://antiguaobserver.com/its-done-time-to-move-on/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Antigua Observer Newspaper|language=en-GB}}</ref>
|{{decrease}}2
|{{steady}}1st
|{{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
!2019
|
|
|
|{{Composition bar|2|11|hex=#EE3422}}
|{{decrease}}4
|{{decrease}}2nd
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|-
! style="background-color: #EE3422" |
![[2021 Barbuda Council election|2021]]
|1,319<ref>{{Cite web|date=30 March 2021|title=Clean Sweep for BPM|url=https://barbudaful.net/clean-sweep-for-bpm/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=barbudaful|date=2021-03-18|title=Council elections March 29th 2021|url=https://barbudaful.net/nomination-day-for-council-elections-on-march-29th/|access-date=2022-01-01|website=Barbudaful|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Barbuda Council Elections 2021 Results|url=http://www.abec.gov.ag/election-cycle/election_results/Barbuda_Council_Elections/2021_council_elections.php|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-04|website=www.abec.gov.ag|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104034456/http://www.abec.gov.ag/election-cycle/election_results/Barbuda_Council_Elections/2021_council_elections.php |archive-date=4 January 2022 }}</ref>
|36.19
|
|{{Composition bar|2|11|hex=#EE3422}}
|{{steady}}2
|{{steady}}2nd
|{{no2|[[Barbuda People's Movement|BPM]]}}
|}

== See also==
*[[:Category:Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party politicians]]

==References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Antigua and Barbuda political parties}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Labour parties]]
[[Category:Political parties in Antigua and Barbuda]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1946]]
[[Category:Republican parties]]
[[Category:Republicanism in Antigua and Barbuda]]