Democratic Labour Party (Barbados) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Democratic Labour Party
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|---|---|
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| Leader | Ralph Thorne |
| President | Ronnie Yearwood (Suspended) Andre Worrell (Acting) |
| Founded | 27 April 1955 |
| Split from | Barbados Labour Party |
| Headquarters | St. George Street |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | West Indies Democratic Labour Party (1957–1961) |
| House of Assembly |
1 / 30
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| Senate |
2 / 21
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| Website | |
| www.dlpbds.org | |
The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), often called the "Dems", is a political party in Barbados. It was started in 1955. This party was in charge of the government from 2008 to 2018. However, in the 2018 election, the DLP lost all its seats in Parliament. This meant they had no Members of Parliament (MPs) left.
Like Barbados' other main party, the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), the DLP is generally seen as a centre-left party. This means they often support ideas like social fairness and helping people. Politics in Barbados often depend on the personalities of leaders and current issues. They also respond to how well the country's economy is doing. The BLP started earlier and followed British liberal ideas. The DLP was formed 11 years later by a group that wanted more left-leaning policies.
Contents
History of the Democratic Labour Party
How the DLP Started
The DLP was founded in 1955. It was started by Errol Barrow, James Cameron Tudor, Frederick "Sleepy" Smith, and 26 other people. These 29 individuals used to be members of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP). They left the BLP to create the DLP, which aimed to be a more left-leaning choice. Even though they had different ideas, both parties still share similar goals because they came from the same origin.
Early Elections and Leadership
In the 1956 election, the DLP received almost 20% of the votes. They won four seats in Parliament. In the next election in 1961, the DLP got fewer votes than the BLP. However, they won more seats in Parliament. Because of this, Errol Barrow became the Premier of Barbados.
Leading Barbados to Independence
The DLP won again in the 1966 election. This time, they had the most votes overall. Errol Barrow then became the country's first Prime Minister. The party won a third election in a row in 1971. But they lost power to the BLP in 1976.
Returning to Power and Recent Years
The DLP was in opposition until they won the 1986 election. They won 24 out of 27 seats, which was a huge victory. The DLP stayed in power after the 1991 election. But they were defeated by the BLP in 1994.
They returned to power again in the 2008 election. At that time, DLP leader David Thompson became Prime Minister. After he passed away in 2010, Freundel Stuart took over as Prime Minister. Stuart then led the party to a close election win in 2013.
Changes in Leadership
The 2018 election was very tough for the DLP. They lost all their Members of Parliament. Freundel Stuart stepped down as leader. On August 1, 2018, Verla De Peiza became the new leader of the DLP. She was the only person running for the position.
After losing the 2022 election, where the DLP did not win any seats, Verla De Peiza resigned on January 21, 2022. Ronnie Yearwood was then elected as the DLP president on May 1, 2022.
In February 2024, Barbados Labour Party MP Ralph Thorne left the BLP. He then became the Leader of the Opposition. Soon after, he joined the DLP and became the party's leader. Ronnie Yearwood is still the president of the party. Ralph Thorne became the first DLP Member of Parliament since 2018.
Electoral Performance Summary
The Democratic Labour Party has had many ups and downs in elections. They started by winning a few seats in 1956. Then, they gained power in 1961 and led Barbados to independence. They continued to win elections in 1966 and 1971.
However, they lost power in 1976 and spent time as the opposition. They made a big comeback in 1986, winning most of the seats. They also won in 1991. But they faced defeats in 1994 and 1999, winning only a few seats.
In 2008, the DLP won again and formed the government. They also won a close election in 2013. But in 2018, they lost all their seats in Parliament. They also did not win any seats in the 2022 election. Recently, with Ralph Thorne joining, the DLP has gained one Member of Parliament again.
See also
In Spanish: Partido Democrático Laborista (Barbados) para niños
