DLP leader Ralph Thorne steps down after third ‘redwash’

Democratic Labour Party (DLP) President Ralph Thorne indicated he was stepping down from the leadership of the party following its third successive 30–nil seat loss to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP), conceding that although the result was “very disappointing”, the 70-year-old party remained “resourceful” and would rebuild without him at the helm.

He said: “I want to say that the party came back after the obvious difficulties of two years ago. We came back and we fought together. We were united and the people of Barbados understand. And I think we came out looking quite well. The result, as I said, is disappointing, but this party is very resourceful in going forward. Clearly, the time comes when I must pass on to other persons. This is a democratic organisation. I do not write political will and a new leader will emerge, I’m sure in the fullness of time.”

He was speaking to reporters in the early hours of Thursday morning at the DLP’s George Street headquarters, surrounded by several of the party’s candidates, all of whom failed to end the Barbados Labour Party’s (BLP) ‘redwash’ of the 30 seats at stake in the House of Assembly and prevent the Mia Mottley-led party from achieving a ‘three-peat’ by again winning every constituency.

In 2018 and 2022, the DLP suffered 30–nil defeats to the BLP, which swept the polls in unprecedented victories.

Thorne said the DLP set an example for the young people of Barbados by conducting a “clean” campaign.

He said: “We fought the good fight, we finished the course, and we kept our faith, and we go forward. This party goes forward with the faith that what we do is well done here, and I also want to thank the Democratic Labour Party. I have had amazing comradeship around here, certainly within the team, a group of young men and young women who made for a good group dynamic. We had an excellent group dynamic. When you saw us in public, and even here tonight, expressing affection, often it was quite genuine affection. So I want to thank the party for being a good party, and its work must continue.”

Thorne, who won the Christ Church South seat under a BLP ticket in the 2022 poll and crossed the floor in 2024, contested the St John constituency — the seat once considered a DLP stronghold. As the night progressed, the incumbent Charles Griffith pulled ahead and was eventually declared the winner, retaining the rural constituency with 2 327 votes compared with Thorne’s 1 884. Kemar Stuart of the People’s Coalition for Progress (PCP) received 236 votes.

As presiding officers announced the box counts throughout the night, four seats initially emerged as possible wins for the DLP to prevent a third successive parliamentary shutout, before hopes faded as other boxes were called.

Considered a seat to watch by political pundits, the fight for St Michael North West did not disappoint as the numbers remained close between incumbent Neil Rowe and Ryan Walters.

Despite an early slight lead by Walters, it was Rowe who emerged victorious, securing 1 674 votes to Walters’ 1 441. Friends of Democracy’s Ricardo Williams received 36 votes.

The battle between the BLP’s Peter Phillips and the DLP’s Ian Griffith was also closely contested, with the final tally being 2 211 to 2 026 in Phillips’ favour, enabling him to once again represent the people of St Lucy in Parliament.

In St Philip West, Dr David Estwick and the BLP’s Kay McConney were locked in a dead heat after the first boxes were counted — a situation similar to the 2022 elections when Estwick lost to the incumbent by 440 votes. The deficit this time was slightly higher, as in the early hours of the morning, McConney was declared the winner with an end total of 2 740 to Estwick’s 2 187. Leader of the Friends of Democracy Karina Greenidge and the PCP’s Lynette Eastmond, who also contested the seat, received 173 and 323 votes respectively.

Meanwhile, in St Philip North, newcomer Simon Clarke briefly moved ahead of the BLP’s incumbent Dr Sonia Browne after several boxes were tallied, but in the final count lost 2 434 to 2 128. FOD’s Anya Lorde received 119 votes, while the PCP’s Nigel Newton secured 26. 

Thorne’s tenure as DLP leader was marked by internal dissent that boiled over into public controversy, ever since his dramatic decision to cross the floor from the government backbench and assume the role of leader of the opposition as the sole non-government member of the House of Assembly.  

His elevation soon after joining the DLP sharpened long‑simmering tensions within the party over questions of legitimacy, party democracy and control driven by then general secretary Steve Blackett among other disaffected senior figures.  

His leadership unfolded against a backdrop of recurring internal challenges and persistent speculation about his political survival at the helm in George Street.