Barbados Labour Party
Encyclopedia
The Barbados Labour Party is the main opposition party
of Barbados
. Led by Rt. Hon.Owen Arthur
, the BLP holds 9 out of 30 seats in the House of Assembly
as of January 2008. It is a member of the Socialist International
and considered as “moderate left of centre.”
Originally called The Barbados Progressive League, the Barbados Labour Party was founded on March 31, 1938 at the home of James Martineau. During the first meeting, Chrissie Brathwaite and Grantley Adams were elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The party was the organization vehicle for the political movement brought on by the unrest of 1937 and which ultimately resulted in a peaceful transfer of power. The objectives of the founders included adult suffrage, free education, and better housing and health care. It first participated in general elections in 1940. In 1994 Owen Arthur became the Prime Minister as leader of the Barbados Labour Party.
In the 2003 elections, the BLP won 23 out of the 30 seats, (75,313 out of 135,083 total votes cast or 55.75% of the vote). The number increased to 24 in 2006 when in an almost unprecedented development, the then leader of the opposition, after a bitter and tumultuous internal battle within his own party resigned the post and joined the governing party.
The Barbados Labour Party governed 1994-2008, which was commonly called the "Owen Arthur Administration". The former Prime Minister Owen S. Arthur was chosen from among leaders around the globe to deliver the William Wilberforce lecture on the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
The party lost power in the January 2008 general election
, winning 10 seats against 20 for the Democratic Labour Party
. After the election, Arthur stepped down as BLP leader and was replaced by former Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley
, who also became Opposition Leader.
In the summer of 2008 M.P. for St. Michael South East, Hamilton Lashley, resigned from the party to become an Independent candidate in the House of Assembly
. He was thereafter given a job by the Democratic Labour Party
as a consultanton poverty. This move by the member reduced the number of seats the Barbados Labour Party had in the House to 9.
The BLP is associated with the colours red and yellow.
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. Led by Rt. Hon.Owen Arthur
Owen Arthur
Owen Seymour Arthur, MP was the fifth Prime Minister of Barbados who was in office from 1994 to 2008 and is the current Leader of Opposition in Barbados. To date, he is the longest serving Barbadian Prime Minister....
, the BLP holds 9 out of 30 seats in the House of Assembly
Barbados House of Assembly
The House of Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Barbados. It has 30 Members of Parliament , MPs are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority system for a term of five years....
as of January 2008. It is a member of the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
and considered as “moderate left of centre.”
Originally called The Barbados Progressive League, the Barbados Labour Party was founded on March 31, 1938 at the home of James Martineau. During the first meeting, Chrissie Brathwaite and Grantley Adams were elected as Chairman and Vice-Chairman. The party was the organization vehicle for the political movement brought on by the unrest of 1937 and which ultimately resulted in a peaceful transfer of power. The objectives of the founders included adult suffrage, free education, and better housing and health care. It first participated in general elections in 1940. In 1994 Owen Arthur became the Prime Minister as leader of the Barbados Labour Party.
In the 2003 elections, the BLP won 23 out of the 30 seats, (75,313 out of 135,083 total votes cast or 55.75% of the vote). The number increased to 24 in 2006 when in an almost unprecedented development, the then leader of the opposition, after a bitter and tumultuous internal battle within his own party resigned the post and joined the governing party.
The Barbados Labour Party governed 1994-2008, which was commonly called the "Owen Arthur Administration". The former Prime Minister Owen S. Arthur was chosen from among leaders around the globe to deliver the William Wilberforce lecture on the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
The party lost power in the January 2008 general election
Barbadian general election, 2008
A general election was held in Barbados on 15 January 2008. A concurrent referendum to determine whether or not to become a republic was initially planned but that vote was postponed....
, winning 10 seats against 20 for the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)
The Democratic Labour Party is a political party in Barbados, and currently the ruling party of the country. It is led by Freundel Stuart.-History:...
. After the election, Arthur stepped down as BLP leader and was replaced by former Deputy Prime Minister Mia Mottley
Mia Mottley
Mia Amor Mottley, QC, MP is a Member of Parliament for the Constituency Saint Michael-North East at Barbados.-Early life:...
, who also became Opposition Leader.
In the summer of 2008 M.P. for St. Michael South East, Hamilton Lashley, resigned from the party to become an Independent candidate in the House of Assembly
House of Assembly
House of Assembly is a name given to the legislature or lower house of a bicameral parliament. In some countries this may be at a subnational level....
. He was thereafter given a job by the Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (Barbados)
The Democratic Labour Party is a political party in Barbados, and currently the ruling party of the country. It is led by Freundel Stuart.-History:...
as a consultanton poverty. This move by the member reduced the number of seats the Barbados Labour Party had in the House to 9.
The BLP is associated with the colours red and yellow.