2004 Defeat
With the exception of five years in the 1970s, the ALP ruled Antigua and Barbuda for over four decades. Two major events precipitated the ALP's first defeat in 28 years in 2004. The first was the introduction of the Electoral Commission after the 1999 election. According to international observers, the 1999 was rife with irregularities. Most notably, the report from the Commonwealth observer group concluded that "the voting rolls appeared to be inflated" and recommended "the establishment of an independent electoral commission to improve the voter registration process." The second was the Medical Benefits Scandal. Under the watch of the ALP Government, the government of Antigua & Barbuda failed to contribute EC$120 million to cover recipients' medical expenses.
The opposition United Progressive Party campaigned on an anti-corruption platform they called "Government in the Sunshine." After 28 years in power, the ALP was widely perceived to be corrupt and that corruption along with the establishment of free and fair elections in Antigua & Barbuda led to their defeat.
The ALP lost its majority in the 2004 general election held on 24 March 2004. It received 41.8% of the popular vote, and 4 out of 17 seats. ALP Prime Minister and political leader Lester Bird was also defeated in his constituency.
Read more about this topic: Antigua Labour Party
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“Against my will, I became a witness to the most terrible defeat of reason and to the most savage triumph of brutality ever chronicled ... never before did a generation suffer such a moral setback after it had attained such intellectual heights.”
—Stefan Zweig (18811942)