The Unity Labour Party (ULP) is a democratic socialist political party in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Currently the governing party, it is led by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.
The Unity Labour Party was formed on 16 October 1994 as a merger of two political parties: the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Labour Party and the Movement for National Unity. These two parties contested the February 1994 general elections in an alliance with separate symbols and gave a commitment that whatever the outcome of these elections the parties would merge to form a single unit. The party won three of the fifteen seats in Parliament.
The first elected Political Leader of the party was the Hon. Vincent I. Beache. He led the party into the 15 June 1998 General Elections which was narrowly lost by a single seat. However, the party gained 55% of the popular vote. Mr. Beache offered his resignation later that year and on the 6 December 1998, the party elected Dr. the Hon. Ralph E. Gonsalves as Leader.
The previous government which held eight of the fifteen seats in Parliament but with a strong minority in the popular vote was put under tremendous political pressure and succumbed to a call for elections midway into the 5 year term. The Unity Labour Party won those general elections on March 28th 2001 with twelve of the fifteen seats and 57% of the popular vote. We formed government.
General elections were held again on 7 December 2005 and the Unity Labour Party again won twelve of the fifteen seats with 56% of the popular vote. The party is now preparing to contest for its third term in Government. |