Progressive Labour Party (Bermuda)
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Bermuda Progressive Labour Party
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|---|---|
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| Leader | E. David Burt |
| Chairman | Scott Simmons |
| Deputy Leader | Walter Roban |
| Founded | 10 February 1963 |
| Headquarters | Alaska Hall, 16 Court Street, Hamilton, Bermuda |
| Ideology | Progressivism |
| Political position | Centre-left to Centre |
| Senate |
3 / 11
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| Assembly |
17 / 36
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| Website | |
| http://www.plp.bm | |
The Bermuda Progressive Labor Party (PLP) is a political party in Bermuda which held power from 1998 to 2012 and is currently the official opposition.
The first political party in Bermuda, and the oldest still active, the PLP was founded in 1963 by Wilfred Mose Allen, Hugh Ryo Richardson, Albert Peter Smith, Edward DeJean, Walter N.H. Robinson, Austin Wilson and Dilton C. Cann. These seven had earlier met in Richardson's garage, before holding the first formal meeting of the PLP on 10 February 1963 in Robinson's office in Hamilton. Intended to appeal to the working-class, the first election platform called for equitable taxation, an end to racial discrimination, economic parity and welfare programs, as well as housing, educational and electoral reform.
The Progressive Labour Party contested its first General Election just three months after its formation in 1963. The Party contested nine of the then thirty-six Parliamentary seats. The PLP's first successful Members of Colonial Parliament (MCPs) were: Mr. Arnold A. Francis (Party Leader), Mr. Walter N. H. Robinson (Deputy Leader), Mrs. Lois Browne-Evans (Bermuda's first black elected woman Member of Parliament) Mr. Russell Dismont, Mr. Cecil Clarke and Mrs. Dorothy Thompson.
Bermuda received its first constitution in 1968, and a General Election was called on 22 May 1968. In the election, the party was soundly defeated winning only 10 of 40 seats by the, conservative, United Bermuda Party which was founded in 1964. During the election, the party's leader, Walter Robinson, was defeated in his constituency and power was handed over to Lois Browne-Evans. Lois Browne-Evans became the first female Opposition Leader in the British Commonwealth.
In subsequent elections, the PLP slowly expanded its share of Parliament. In the General Election, of 1972, the PLP increased its share of the popular vote from 33 per cent to 38 per cent. The Party again contested every constituency. With the successful re-election of Walter Robinson, Lois Browne-Evans yielded the leadership of the Party back to him. The Party retained ten seats in Parliament. In April 1976, Mr. Robinson retired from active politics later becoming a Puisne Judge, and Mrs. Browne-Evans became the Parliamentary Leader of the PLP for the second time and also the Opposition Leader once again.
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