Trinidad Labour Party

Last updated

The Trinidad Labour Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Formed in 1934 when the Trinidad Workingmen's Association changed its name, it was the country's first party.

History

The party was originally a trade union named the Trinidad Workingmen's Association. Its leader Arthur Andrew Cipriani was elected to the Legislative Council in the 1925 elections. [1] It was renamed the Trinidad Labour Party in 1934, becoming the country's first political party. [1] The party's ambition was to reform the colony's system from within through a series of gradual improvements for workers. [1] However, economic problems caused by the Great Depression made progress difficult. The Butler Party was established by the more radical Tubal Uriah Butler, and took over from the TLP as the main voice of the islands' workers. The Butler Party supported strikes and riots in the 1930s, whilst the Labour Party opposed them.

In the 1946 general elections, the first held under universal suffrage, the Labour Party received just 1.1% of the vote and failed to win a seat. [2] In the 1950 elections its vote share rose to 7.9% and it won two seats. For the 1956 elections it ran as the Trinidad Labour Party-National Development Party and retained both seats. In 1957 it merged into the Democratic Labour Party.

The party was resurrected for the 1981 elections, but received just 34 votes and failed to win a seat. [1] It did not contest any further elections. [3]

Related Research Articles

National Alliance for Reconstruction Political party in Trinidad and Tobago

The National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR) was the governing party in Trinidad and Tobago between 1986 and 1991. The party has been inactive since 2005.

Organisation for National Reconstruction

The Organisation for National Reconstruction (ONR) was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party received the second-highest number of votes in the 1981 general elections, but failed to win a seat. Prior to the 1986 elections it merged into the new National Alliance for Reconstruction.

Hungarian Workers Party Communist party in Hungary

The Hungarian Workers' Party is a communist party in Hungary led by Gyula Thürmer. Established after the fall of the communist Hungarian People's Republic, the party has yet to win a seat in the Hungarian parliament. Until May 2009 it was a member of the Party of the European Left.

United Labour Front

The United Labour Front (ULF) was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago and the main opposition party between 1976 and 1986. It was a successor to the Democratic Labour Party and the Workers and Farmers Party.

The British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party, also known as the Butler Home Rule Party and more commonly as the Butler Party, were a series of political parties in Trinidad and Tobago organised by Tubal Uriah Butler.

The Saint Kitts and Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) is a centre-left political party in Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is currently in opposition in the country after winning two of the eleven seats in the 2020 general election. It is the oldest active political party in the English-speaking Caribbean.

National Joint Action Committee Political party in Trinidad and Tobago

The National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago.

The People's Progressive Party was a political party in Saint Lucia. It was the only opposition party in the country from 1951 until 1964.

The People's Political Party was a political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It was established in 1952 as a breakaway from the ruling Eighth Army of Liberation, and was the country's first lasting nationwide political party. It was the only party to contest the 1954 general elections and received three of the eight seats. In the 1957 elections it received almost half the national vote and won five of the eight seats. In 1961 it remained in power with six of the nine seats.

The African National Congress was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party first contested national elections in 1961, when it received just 0.5% of the vote and failed to win a seat. They did not put forward any candidates for the 1966 elections, but returned for the 1971 elections, in which they received 2.4% of the vote, but again failed to win a seat as the People's National Movement won all 36. The party did not contest any further elections.

The Progressive Democratic Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It contested the 1946 general elections, but received just 515 votes and failed to win a seat. It did not run in the 1950 elections, but returned for the 1956 elections. However, it again failed to win a seat, and did not contest any further elections.

The Party of Political Progress Groups (POPPG) was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It first contested national elections in 1950, when it received 3.4% of the vote and won two seats. After the elections its leader, Albert Gomes, was appointed Chief Minister despite the Butler Party winning six seats. In the 1956 elections it lost both seats, and in 1957 it merged into the Democratic Labour Party.

The Tapia House Movement was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It first contested national elections in 1976, when it finished fourth with 3.9% of the vote, but failed to win a seat. In the 1981 elections it ran as part of the Trinidad and Tobago National Alliance together with the United Labour Front and the Democratic Action Congress, but saw its vote share drop to 2.3% and it remained seatless. The party did not contest any further elections.

The Social Democratic Labour Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It contested the 1976 general elections, but received just 1.9% of the vote and failed to win a seat. It did not contest any further elections.

The West Indian National Party was a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It was originally founded on 18 November 1942 as a progressive party, aligned with the socialist views of trade unionists Rupert Gittens and Quintin O'Connor. One of the key planks of their platform was the nationalisation of major industries.

The People's Empowerment Party is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. It contested the 2000 general elections, but received just 0.3% of the vote and failed to win a seat. The party did not contest any further national elections, but did run in elections in Tobago. In the 2001 Tobago House of Assembly elections it won 7.1% of the vote, but again failed to win a seat.

Elma Francois Trinidad and Tobago trade unionist

Elma Francois was an Africentric political activist who, on 14 October 1987, was declared as a "national heroine of Trinidad and Tobago". She had been described as one of the "vociferous Africentric activists" in the history of Trinidad and Tobago and in the Caribbean region. She was known for her pro-trade union, anti-war and anti-colonial work.

The Civic Democratic Party is a political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Social Democratic Party of Macedonia Political party in North Macedonia

The Social Democratic Party of Macedonia is a political party in North Macedonia.

Labour Party (Moldova)

The Labour Party is a minor political party in Moldova led by Gheorghe Sima.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p628 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
  2. Nohlen, pp639-642
  3. Nohlen, p637