Former United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Harold Lovell is urging his party to resist internal blame and instead pursue honest self-reflection following its performance in the St. Philip's North by-election.

According to Antigua News Room, Lovell spoke after Monday's poll and acknowledged that the result signals a meaningful erosion of voter support that the party must take seriously.

"Obviously, the by-election represents a decline in voter support for the United Progressive Party over the past three years," Lovell said.

He stressed the need for a measured and constructive response to the outcome, cautioning against the kind of internal divisions that can hinder a party's recovery.

"We have to look at that very carefully… what happened between 2023 and 2026," Lovell said, adding that the party must "avoid finger-pointing" and instead focus on correcting its shortcomings.

Lovell also turned his attention to the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), describing what he characterised as a surge of pre-election activity in the constituency. He suggested that development work was deliberately accelerated in the months leading up to the vote.

"They did more work in the last five months than they have done… in the last 50 years," he said.

He raised concerns about the quality and long-term viability of those projects, pointing to incomplete infrastructure in other constituencies as a cautionary example.

"You have roads that are half finished… sidewalks built and the roads have not been put in, so homeowners cannot access their homes," Lovell said.

He argued that genuine development must follow a transparent, structured plan rather than being rushed to coincide with electoral cycles.

"If there's a road plan, let's see the road plan… and roll it out in a systematic way," he said.

Looking ahead, Lovell emphasised that consistent grassroots engagement would be essential to rebuilding the party's standing with voters.

"There can be no substitute for continuous, relentless, steady community engagement in every constituency," he said.

The St. Philip's North by-election was held on March 16.