View source for Progressive Labour Movement

{{Short description|Antiguan political party}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Politics of Antigua and Barbuda}}

The '''Progressive Labour Movement ''' was a major [[centre-left]] [[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==
The party was established in 1968 under the leadership of [[George Walter]] and [[Donald Halstead]], emerging from the [[Antigua Workers' Union]], which had been established in 1967 as a breakaway from the [[Antigua Labour Party]]-affiliated [[Antigua Trades and Labour Union]].<ref>Robert J. Alexander (1982)
 ''Political parties of the Americas: Guadeloupe-Virgin Islands of the United States'', Greenwoord Press, p769</ref><ref>[[Dieter Nohlen]] (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p61 {{ISBN|978-0-19-928357-6}}</ref> In the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1971|1971 election]], it won 57.7% of the vote and 13 of the 17 seats in the House of Representatives, the first time the [[Antigua Labour Party]] had lost an election. Walter became [[Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda|Prime Minister]].

A series of corruption scandals involving PLM ministers, together with a severe economic downturn caused by the [[1973 oil crisis|Oil Shock]], led to a drop in support for the PLM. Nevertheless, it still won a plurality of votes in the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1976|1976 elections]]. However, despite receiving the most votes, it won only five seats, whilst the ALP won 11.<ref name=DN>Nohlen, pp68-70</ref>

In the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1980|1980 elections]], the party lost more support, and won only three seats. A further slump saw them lose their parliamentary representation following the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1984|1984 elections]], in which they received only 356 votes.

It did not contest the [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1989|1989 elections]] and, in 1992 it was one of three parties that merged to form the [[United Progressive Party (Antigua and Barbuda)|United Progressive Party]].<ref>Nohlen, p63</ref>

== Electoral results ==

=== House of Representatives ===
{| class=wikitable style="text-align: left;"
|-
! Election
! Party leader
! Votes
! %
! Seats
! +/–
! Position
! Government
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1971|1971]]
| rowspan="2" | [[George Walter]]
| 9,761
| 57.72
| {{Composition bar|13|17|hex=#CD5C5C}}
| {{increase}} 13
| {{increase}} 1st
| {{yes2|Majority}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1976|1976]]
| 12,268
| 49.87
| {{Composition bar|5|17|hex=#CD5C5C}}
| {{decrease}} 8
| {{decrease}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1980|1980]]
| rowspan="2" | [[Robert Hall (Antiguan politician)|Robert Hall]]
| 8,654
| 39.26
| {{Composition bar|3|17|hex=#CD5C5C}}
| {{decrease}} 2
| {{steady}} 2nd
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [[Antigua and Barbuda general election, 1984|1984]]
| 356
| 1.86
| {{Composition bar|0|17|hex=#CD5C5C}}
| {{decrease}} 3
| {{decrease}} 3rd
| {{no|Extra-parliamentary}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Antigua and Barbuda political parties}}

[[Category:Labour parties]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in Antigua and Barbuda]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 1968]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in Antigua and Barbuda]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 1992]]
[[Category:1992 disestablishments in Antigua and Barbuda]]
[[Category:Social democratic parties in North America]]

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