General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...

 on 11 February 1971. They were won by the Progressive Labour Movement

Progressive Labour Movement

The Progressive Labour Movement was a major political party in Antigua and Barbuda, and until the 2000s, was the only political party to have defeated the Antigua Labour Party in an election.-History:...

. PLM leader George Walter

George Walter

Sir George Herbert Walter KNH was an Antiguan politician of the Progressive Labour Movement and Premier of Antigua and Barbuda from 14 February 1971 to 1 February 1976.-Political career:...

 was elected Premier of Antigua, defeating the incumbent Premier Vere Bird

Vere Bird

Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr. was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. His son, Lester Bryant Bird, succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994 he was declared a national hero....

 of the Antigua Labour Party

Antigua Labour Party

The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...

. The PLM was founded in 1967 after a split in the leadership of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union

Antigua Trades and Labour Union

The Antigua Trades and Labour Union is a national Trade union of Antigua and Barbuda. It was formed in 1939 and is closely related to the Antigua Labour Party.It has a membership of 7,000 and is led by Wigley George as president....

; this was its first election, as well as its first and only electoral victory.

The 1971 election marked the first change of government in the history of Antigua and Barbuda. It was the first election held in the territory since its creation as a West Indies Associated State in 1967 and the end of its period under British colonial rule

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

. Voter turnout was 56.4%.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
Progressive Labour Movement Progressive Labour Movement The Progressive Labour Movement was a major political party in Antigua and Barbuda, and until the 2000s, was the only political party to have defeated the Antigua Labour Party in an election.-History:...	9,761	57.7	13	New
Antigua Labour Party Antigua Labour Party The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...	6,409	37.9	4
Antigua People's Party Antigua People's Party The Antigua People's Party was a minor political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It began as a faction within the Progressive Labour Movement, an opposition party founded in 1968. This faction, called the Antigua Progressive Movement, believed that the state's political parties should be separate...	595	3.5	0	New
Independents	157	0.9	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	397
Total	17,309	100	17	+7
Source: Nohlen