Politics
Ralph Thorne readmitted to Democratic Labour Party as political leader alongside President Dr Ronnie Yearwood
Democratic Labour Party welcomes Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne back as political leader, joining President Dr Ronnie Yearwood and forming a united front at party headquarters.
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Originally published by nationnews.com (opens in new tab)
It is official!
Leader of the Opposition Ralph Thorne has been readmitted to the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) and will serve as its political leader.
However, President Dr Ronnie Yearwood is the party leader.
The announcement was made earlier tonight from the Errol Barrow Auditorium of the DLP headquarters at George Street, St Michael, where Yearwood, Thorne and general secretary Steve Blackett presented a united front.
Thorne and the two Opposition senators, Tricia Watson and Ryan Walters, will join Yearwood and his recently announced Shadow Cabinet to form the party’s parliamentary caucus.
It was on February 17 when news broke that Thorne had left the ruling Barbados Labour Party and crossed the floor. At his official swearing in at State House two days later, he indicated his preference was to join a mass party rather than start one of his own, as was done by former Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley.
It was a topsy-turvy ride for readmission to the DLP. After Yearwood initially threw down the welcome mat, Thorne applied for membership to much fanfare last Friday, but his application was not initially accepted during a meeting on Saturday.
Yearwood, Thorne, Blackett, labour spokesman Walter Maloney and elder party statesman Robert “Bobby” Morris met on Sunday evening, after which Thorne appeared at Walters’ St Michael North West branch meeting at the Ellerslie School. (Nation News)
