Prime Minister Gaston Browne is pointing to new polling data that he says shows the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) holding a commanding lead over the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) ahead of an expected general election. According to Antigua News Room, the poll places the ABLP at 49% support compared to 26% for the UPP — a margin of approximately 23 percentage points.
Browne made the remarks during an appearance on Pointe FM on Saturday, also citing personal approval figures that he said place his own support at 59%, while Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle stands at 15%.
The prime minister argued that the results reflect strong public confidence in his administration and widespread doubt about the opposition's ability to govern.
"These polls demonstrate that they do not see Pringle as leadership material," Browne said, adding that voters prefer "safe and secure hands" to steer the country through a period of global uncertainty.
Browne further characterised the data as evidence of a significant directional shift, stating that the ABLP is up 13 percentage points from previous figures while the UPP has fallen by 9 points.
"That's a 22-point swing," he said, arguing that such a movement could put every UPP-held seat on Antigua within reach for the ruling party.
The prime minister also claimed that polling commissioned separately by both parties — conducted by regional pollsters Peter Wickham and Don Anderson respectively — produced broadly similar findings, which he said lends consistency to the results.
Browne used the occasion to criticise the UPP's leadership more broadly, suggesting there is internal dissatisfaction within the party and raising the possibility of a leadership challenge emerging.
The UPP has not publicly responded to the claims.
