The Barbuda People's Movement (BPM) is a left-wing Barbudan nationalist and separatist political party in Antigua and Barbuda active only on the island of Barbuda. The party's symbol is the European fallow deer, national animal of Barbuda. The party seeks the secession of Barbuda from Antigua and Barbuda. The party is allied with the United Progressive Party, being part of its coalition government between 2004 and 2014.
History The BPM opposed the 1981 independence agreement and its leader Hilbourne Frank was elected in 1989 as the party's sole deputy.
They held the seat in the 1994 and 1999. In the 2004 elections the candidates of the BPM (Trevor Walker) and the Barbuda People's Movement for Change both won 400 votes. In a rerun of the election on 20 April Walker received 408 votes, whilst BPMC candidate Arthur Nibbs won only 394. Walker was then the first BPM deputy to be appointed to government, as a member of Baldwin Spencer's cabninet. The party retained the seat in the 2009 elections.
Barbuda’s secession request The government is taking the unprecedented step of presenting the matter to the Parliament after it received a letter from the Barbuda Council requesting that discussions commence on the separation of Barbuda from Antigua.
In the letter dated 31 August 2020, Council Secretary Paul Nedd informed Cabinet Secretary Konata Lee that the Barbuda Council wished to secede from Antigua in order to determine a separate future for Barbuda and its people.
Election results House of Representatives ElectionParty leaderVotes%Seats+/–PositionGovernment1989Hilbourne Frank3041.37New 4th19943671.35 0 3rd19994181.26 0 3rd2004Trevor Walker4001.01 0 3rd20094741.14 0 3rd20144841.13 1 3rd20185581.43 1 4th20236241.46 0 3rd20266161.57 0 3rd
Barbuda Council
ElectionLeadersVotesSeatsPositionGovernmentNo.%±No.±1979Hilbourne FrankNew1st19811st19831st198519871st198941st1991/19921st1993/19941st19962nd19971st19991st20011st20031st2005Trevor Walker1,98853.961st20071st20091st20111,67948.781st20131,99446.492nd201522nd20172,98351.6622nd201941st20212,30363.1801st20232,63663.8501st20252,25962.1801st
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