The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), colloquially known as the "Dems", is a political party in Barbados, established in 1955. It was the ruling party from 15 January 2008 to 24 May 2018 but faced an electoral wipeout in the 2018 general election which left it with no MPs.
In common with Barbados' other major party, the Barbados Labour Party, the DLP has been broadly described as centre-leftsocial-democratic party, with local politics being largely personality-driven and responsive to contemporary issues and the state of the economy. Historically, the BLP claims a heritage from British liberalism,[1] while the DLP was founded 11 years afterwards as a more left-leaning breakaway group.
The DLP was founded in 1955 by Errol Barrow, James Cameron Tudor, Frederick "Sleepy" Smith and 26 others.[2][3] Once members of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), these 29 broke away to form this more left-leaning alternative. However, as a result of their common origin, the two parties have been and remain ideologically similar. In the 1956 general election the DLP received 19.9% of the vote and won four seats.[4] In the following election in 1961 it received fewer votes than the BLP, but won a majority of the seats in Parliament, with Barrow becoming Premier.
After the party retained power in the 1966 election (this time with a plurality of the vote),[5] Barrow became the country's first Prime Minister. The party won a third successive election in 1971, but lost power to the BLP in 1976.[6] It remained in opposition until victory in the 1986 election, in which it won 24 of the 27 seats.[6] The DLP remained in power following the 1991 election, but was defeated by the BLP in 1994. It returned to power again in the 2008 election, when DLP leader David Thompson became Prime Minister. Following his death in 2010, Freundel Stuart succeeded to the office, and led the party to a narrow election victory in 2013.
The 2018 election saw the DLP lose all of its MPs. Stuart stepped down as leader, and Verla De Peiza, unopposed in a leadership election held by the party on 1 August 2018, became his successor in the role of DLP leader and president.[7]
After losing the 2022 election which resulted in the DLP not regaining any seats in the House of Assembly, De Peiza resigned on 21 January 2022.[8] Ronnie Yearwood was then later elected DLP president after DLP elections took place on 1 May 2022.[9]
^"Verla De Peiza elected as the new leader of Barbados' Main Opposition Party | The Habari Network". The Habari Network. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
^"DLP president Verla De Peiza resigns". www.nationnews.com. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
^"Dr Ronnie Yearwood elected new DLP president". Barbados Today. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^"Kingston Gleaner Newspaper Archives, Mar 27, 1958, p. 20". NewspaperArchive.com. 27 March 1958. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
External links
Official website
This Barbados-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
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The Democratic Labour Party DLP colloquially known as the Dems is a political party in Barbados established in 1955 It was the ruling party from 15 January 2008 to 24 May 2018 but faced an electoral wipeout in the 2018 general election which left it with no MPs Democratic Labour PartyLeaderRonnie YearwoodFounded27 April 1955Split fromBarbados Labour PartyHeadquartersSt George StreetIdeologySocial democracyRepublicanismPolitical positionCentre leftInternational affiliationWest Indies Democratic Labour Party 1957 1961 House of Assembly0 30Senate0 21Websitewww dlpbds orgPolitics of BarbadosPolitical partiesElectionsIn common with Barbados other major party the Barbados Labour Party the DLP has been broadly described as centre left social democratic party with local politics being largely personality driven and responsive to contemporary issues and the state of the economy Historically the BLP claims a heritage from British liberalism 1 while the DLP was founded 11 years afterwards as a more left leaning breakaway group Contents 1 History 2 Electoral history 2 1 House of Assembly elections 2 2 West Indies election 3 References 4 External linksHistory EditThe DLP was founded in 1955 by Errol Barrow James Cameron Tudor Frederick Sleepy Smith and 26 others 2 3 Once members of the Barbados Labour Party BLP these 29 broke away to form this more left leaning alternative However as a result of their common origin the two parties have been and remain ideologically similar In the 1956 general election the DLP received 19 9 of the vote and won four seats 4 In the following election in 1961 it received fewer votes than the BLP but won a majority of the seats in Parliament with Barrow becoming Premier After the party retained power in the 1966 election this time with a plurality of the vote 5 Barrow became the country s first Prime Minister The party won a third successive election in 1971 but lost power to the BLP in 1976 6 It remained in opposition until victory in the 1986 election in which it won 24 of the 27 seats 6 The DLP remained in power following the 1991 election but was defeated by the BLP in 1994 It returned to power again in the 2008 election when DLP leader David Thompson became Prime Minister Following his death in 2010 Freundel Stuart succeeded to the office and led the party to a narrow election victory in 2013 The 2018 election saw the DLP lose all of its MPs Stuart stepped down as leader and Verla De Peiza unopposed in a leadership election held by the party on 1 August 2018 became his successor in the role of DLP leader and president 7 After losing the 2022 election which resulted in the DLP not regaining any seats in the House of Assembly De Peiza resigned on 21 January 2022 8 Ronnie Yearwood was then later elected DLP president after DLP elections took place on 1 May 2022 9 Electoral history EditHouse of Assembly elections Edit Election Party leader Votes Seats Position Result1956 Errol Barrow 19 650 19 9 4 24 4 2nd Opposition1961 39 534 36 3 15 24 11 1st Majority government1966 72 384 49 6 14 24 1 1st Majority government1971 53 295 57 4 18 24 4 1st Supermajority government1976 45 786 46 4 7 24 11 2nd Opposition1981 55 845 47 1 10 27 3 2nd Opposition1986 80 050 59 4 24 27 14 1st Supermajority government1991 Erskine Sandiford 59 900 49 8 18 28 6 1st Majority government1994 David Thompson 47 979 38 8 8 28 10 2nd Opposition1999 45 118 35 1 2 28 6 2nd Opposition2003 Clyde Mascoll 54 746 44 2 7 30 5 2nd Opposition2008 David Thompson 70 135 53 2 20 30 13 1st Supermajority government2013 Freundel Stuart 78 851 51 3 16 30 4 1st Majority government2018 33 551 21 8 0 30 16 2nd Extra parliamentary2022 Verla De Peiza 30 273 26 55 0 30 2nd Extra parliamentary West Indies election Edit See also West Indies Democratic Labour Party 1958 West Indies federal elections West Indies Federation and Federal Parliament of the West Indies Federation Election Party Group Leader Votes Seats Position GovernmentNo Share No Share1958 10 DLP Errol Barrow 25 256 20 3 0 5 0 0 3rd WIFLPReferences Edit Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society Vol 44 1998 The Party Official Web Site Democratic Labour Party Archived from the original on 4 February 2012 Retrieved 3 December 2011 Nohlen D 2005 Elections in the Americas A data handbook Volume I p85 ISBN 978 0 19 928357 6 Nohlen pp92 93 Nohlen p92 a b Nohlen p94 Verla De Peiza elected as the new leader of Barbados Main Opposition Party The Habari Network The Habari Network 15 August 2018 Retrieved 9 October 2018 DLP president Verla De Peiza resigns www nationnews com 21 January 2022 Retrieved 21 January 2022 Dr Ronnie Yearwood elected new DLP president Barbados Today 1 May 2022 Retrieved 1 May 2022 Kingston Gleaner Newspaper Archives Mar 27 1958 p 20 NewspaperArchive com 27 March 1958 Retrieved 25 June 2020 External links EditOfficial website This Barbados related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Democratic Labour Party Barbados amp oldid 1120924654, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
