United Progressive Party Political Leader Hon. Jamale Pringle has firmly rejected mounting calls for his resignation, issuing an open letter to party members in which he denounced pressure to step down as a coordinated disinformation campaign. According to Antigua News Room, Pringle addressed the controversy directly, insisting he has no intention of leaving his post.
"I am not resigning. I have no intention of resigning," Pringle wrote in the letter addressed to UPP members, supporters, and friends. He characterised reports circulating about his leadership as "disinformation dressed up as breaking news," alleging the stories were sourced from an entity managed by the Prime Minister. He stated he would not be "destabilised by planted stories."
The calls for his resignation have been largely tied to the UPP's performance in the recent St. Phillip's North by-election. Pringle pushed back forcefully on that framing, noting that the UPP has never held the constituency in 50 years of electoral politics. He argued that contesting the seat was never about securing an easy win, but rather about demonstrating the party's commitment to competing across the entire nation and building support in challenging terrain.
"We entered St. Phillip's North to signal our seriousness about contesting. We shared knowledge. We established presence. That is not defeat," Pringle wrote. He described the effort as "the disciplined, patient work of a party serious about governing this country."
Pringle also took direct aim at those using the by-election result to justify calls for leadership change, calling such a move "a fundamental disrespect to every member who has put up a hand for service."
While dismissing what he called anonymous briefings and media plants, Pringle acknowledged that some internal dissent may be genuine. He invited members with legitimate concerns about the party's direction, strategy, or pace of renewal to engage with him directly. "My door is open," he wrote, adding that principled engagement strengthens a party rather than weakening it. However, he drew a firm line at back-channel political manoeuvring, urging any member who believes he should no longer lead to pursue that case through the party's constitutional channels.
Pringle closed his letter by reaffirming his commitment to building the UPP into a credible opposition force, arguing that a strong opposition is not optional in a functioning democracy but a necessity. He pledged to continue holding the current administration accountable and to serve the membership for as long as they entrust him with the leadership.
