Electoral Outcomes and Party Fortunes, 1992?2005

• Author: Cynthia Barrow-Giles
• Pages: 53-127

Electoral Outcomes and Party Fortunes 53

The Leeward Islands:

Analysis of Data — Consistency and Change

Anguilla

For as long as Anguilla remained a part of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla,

the existing political environment remained hostile to the

development of indigenous political parties. While political parties

evolved in all the English-speaking Caribbean countries by the 1950s,

it was not until the so-called post-revolutionary period in Anguilla

that local political parties emerged. It was therefore not until the

unilateral termination of the political and constitutional authority of

St. Kitts in 1967, that the opportunity arose for the development of

political parties on the island. Colville Petty argued that it was in the

wake of the expulsion of the administrative presence of St. Kitts on the

island that the fillip for the development of local political parties

emerged.1

It was in that context that one faction of the essentially anti-St.

Kitts protest movement took the decision to transform the movement

into a political party. While the movement itself was divided on the

direction that Anguilla should take in terms of party politics and

organization, nonetheless, by October 1967, the Anguilla Democratic

Party (ADP) was formed. The launch of that party; the island’s first

indigenous political party was however, not well received on the island

and in the face of hostile opposition, the party quickly dissolved. Petty

ELECTORAL OUTCOMES AND PARTY

FORTUNES, 1992–2005

CHAPTER 3

54 General Elections and Voting

contends that ‘Anguilla’s first indigenous political party had a very

short life and the factors surrounding its birth and death were the

consequences of lack of political experience’.2

Beyond the issue of political inexperience, early political parties

in Anguilla could not flourish due to dominant personalities in that

county and the resulting tradition of individual independence from

party loyalty. The culture of independence itself was no doubt

engendered by the failure of political parties to take root in the country

in the mid-twentieth century, stemming partly from the political

domination of St. Kitts. 3

It was not until two years later, in the wake of the establishment

of direct British control, that another attempt was made to organize a

political party. Petty attributes this to ‘the climate for the polarization

of political forces on the island’ occasioned by British occupation and

the growing opposition to what was perceived in some quarters as

dictatorial tendencies on the part of Ronald Webster.4 Beyond these

two factors, the possibility of power transferring to the local population

at some undetermined time under The Anguilla (Administration)

Order of 1971, provided yet another impetus for the development of

political parties on the island. Led by Atlin Harringan, the Anguilla

Constructive Democratic Movement (ACDM) was formed.

Challenged by the leadership of the ACDM and in direct response

to the changing political circumstances on the island, Ronald Webster,

not to be outdone by his political detractors, organized the People’s

Progressive Party (PPP). However, like its predecessor, the ADP, the

ACDM lacked mass appeal and quickly disappeared.

The PPP was therefore the first political party in Anguilla to

formally contest a general election on the island. Led by Ronald

Webster, the party won six of the seven council seats with the remaining

seat successfully contested by independent candidate Emile Gumbs,

a founding member of the ACDM.

It was not until 1976 with the passing of The Anguilla

(Constitution) Order of 1976, which provided for the establishment

of a ministerial system of government, that the foundations for the

development of party politics were firmly laid.5Though the act itself

provided for the possibility for the development of additional political

Electoral Outcomes and Party Fortunes 55

parties in the country, this proved extremely difficult. Several political

parties were formed during the period 1972 and 1980 when a local

political party contested the first elections. While many of them were

unable to survive beyond a few short months, the organization of a

second political party on the island, laid the basis for competitive

party politics. Notable among these early political parties were the

Anguilla Democratic Party (ADP), led by Camile Connor in 1976,

the Anguilla National Alliance (ANA) formed in 1980, and the Anguilla

United Movement (AUM). Therefore until 1980 Anguilla lacked all

criteria of conforming to a competitive party system. 6

The post-1976 general elections in Anguilla proved to be interesting

and provided the cauldron for the development of new political parties

in the country. Much of that can be attributed to the continued

resentment of Ronald Webster’s leadership style. While the PPP with

Webster at its helm won the 1976 general elections, taking six of the

contested seven constituencies, internal opposition to his leadership soon

emerged in Parliament. Three years after a very successful election

campaign, Ronald Webster confronted a major crisis when a successful

no confidence motion was moved against him as a result of his refusal to

support the resolution of a land dispute.7The sole independent member

of parliament, Hubert Hughes, sponsored the no confidence motion

against the Chief Minister and was given crucial support by several

members of Webster’s ruling PPP. Webster was therefore removed as

Chief Minister of Anguilla. While the government was able to survive

the coup with Emile Gumbs as Chief Minister, the revolt against Webster

nonetheless contributed to the demise of the PPP. In any event two new

political parties were formed in time for the 1980 general elections.

By 1980 two new political parties emerged on the political scene.

In early 1980 Ronald Webster formed the AUM with his former

political rivals, Ronald Hughes and Colonel Claudius Roberts, as co-

founders.8The breakaway faction of the PPP formed the ANA. These

two parties contested the 1980 general elections. As table 3:1 shows

the outcome of that election was a stunning blow for the ANA and a

resounding victory for Ronald Webster’s AUM. Having secured six of

the seven parliamentary seats, with the ANA winning only one seat,

the AUM was unable to maintain its hold on political power. That