The British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party, also known as the Butler Home Rule Party and more commonly as the Butler Party, Nohlen, D (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p628 were a series of

political parties A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or pol ...

in Trinidad and Tobago organised by Tubal Uriah Butler.

History

Butler founded the party in 1936 after he split from the Trinidad Labour Party. However, he spent most of the period between 1937 and 1945 in prison; he was arrested after the labour riots of 1937 and imprisoned until 1939. After being released, he was re-arrested in at the start of World War II in 1939 because he was seen as a security threat to one of the British Empire's main supplies of petroleum. After he was released from prison at the end of the war, Butler reformed the party to fight the 1946 general elections. It finished second in the vote, winning three seats.Nohlen, pp639-642 In the

1950 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1950. Africa * 1950 South-West African legislative election Asia * 1950 Iranian legislative election Australia * 1950 New South Wales state election * 1950 Queensland state election * 1950 South ...

it emerged as the largest party after the United Front did not run. However, although it won six of the eighteen seats, the government was formed by

Albert Gomes Albert Maria Gomes (25 March 1911 – 13 January 1978) was a Trinidadian unionist, politician, and writer of Portuguese descent, was the first Chief Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He was the founder of the Political Progress Groups and later led ...

of the Party of Political Progress Groups. In the 1956 elections the party was reduced to two seats. The 1961 elections saw its share of the vote drop to just 0.4% and it lost both seats. In

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

it received just 704 votes, after which it never contested another election.Nohlen, p637

References

{{Trinidad and Tobago political parties Defunct political parties in Trinidad and Tobago Political parties established in 1936