United Dominica Labour Party (UDLP)

The United Dominica Labour Party (UDLP) was established in 1981 by Michael Douglas following a split from the Dominica Labour Party (DLP). Formed during political realignment, the UDLP contested the 1985 general elections, securing a single parliamentary seat.

Origins and Electoral Performance

Michael Douglas created the UDLP in response to internal disagreements within the DLP. In the 1985 election, the UDLP received 1.7% of the national vote, and candidate Rosie Douglas was elected Member of Parliament for the Paix Bouche Constituency. Despite this success, the party merged back into the DLP later that same year, restoring unity within the Labour movement. Upon reunification, Michael Douglas became leader of the DLP and served as Leader of the Opposition until 1990.

Significance in Political History

Although brief in duration, the UDLP illustrated a pivotal moment in Dominica’s political evolution, the assertion of dissenting leadership and the reunification of Labour under renewed mandate. Rosie Douglas’s election demonstrated the party’s ability to connect with constituency-based voters even during fragmentation. After joining the DLP, both Rosie and Michael Douglas shaped Labour’s direction in the mid‑1980s, supporting a return to national governance and electoral competitiveness against the ruling parties