Political analyst Peter Wickham says former United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Harold Lovell stands a stronger chance of winning the All Saints West seat in the next general election, due by 2028, than in his past contests.
Lovell will face incumbent Agriculture Minister Anthony Smith, who defected from the UPP to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). Wickham said that Smith’s departure could work in Lovell’s favour if there is a swing away from the ABLP, though he cautioned the outcome depends on election timing and conditions.
Wickham expressed surprise at Lovell’s return to frontline politics after twice leading the UPP unsuccessfully, suggesting it could signal a bid to reclaim party leadership. He warned this might spark internal strife that could ultimately benefit the ABLP.
He added that Prime Minister Gaston Browne may see the potential loss of the seat as less damaging than the disruption Lovell’s comeback could cause within the opposition.
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Who cares what Wickham thinks, just stay at home and take care of your husband’s business as all wives should do
Top Dawg n ABLP retool with young, educated and fresh candidates.
UPP’s response is to recruit ah childish & useless Wehner and resurrect Lovell, who is in his 70s. Really UPP?? Next up, they go embarrass a younger Pringle n throw he out as party leader.
Poor Barbara. Lovell showed up for you at Football Elections where Batow put a “batow” on you. Fast forward to 2025 that same Lovell BETRAYED your trust. Shoved you out your spot. You think that cunning badminded evil thinking Black Power trained “lawyer” 🤔 mean any good for you or anyone who appears to stand in the way of his thirst for power???
Barbara you go learn just like Joanna Massiah and Richard Lewis did.
Now go home, Sip some tea, take your Summers Eve and open your Bible to Psalm 34
Why this batty man love always all up inna Antigua business????
If the UPP determined to recruit new stale-candidates from their past, is best the bring back Hon. Baldwin Spencer to and get rid of Comrade Kem Warner in Rural North.
Poor pooor Pringle, as his days as leader of that party numbered.
Wickham is a failed pollster. He knows not what he says but is trying to be relevant. Lovell does not have a chance in hell. It was an ABLP seat that was lost due to the personal problems of the last MP and the swing against Labour due to pot holes and dry pipes. Those are being fixed and Anthony Smith is proving himself to be an excellent Agriculture Minister and has been working in the constituency. He will have Gaston Browne and the big Red Machine behind him. This is not play play politics.
The conch had resurfaced.
Who cares what you think
We care as much what you think as we do which man you marry.
Get lost.
Baldwin and Lovell have more integrity than all of ABLP and their group of Lickspittle so you can talk from till Kingdom you can’t change nutten
Is this the best The Eastern Caribbean has as the go-to political analyst?
Wichham is no political analyst, maybe a mediocre commentator.
What is his analysis on Lovell chances?
What are the political, or economic factors now until when ever an election is called that would lead to Lovell winning or Lovell loosing All Saints
“ Wickham said that Smith’s departure could work in Lovell’s favour if there is a swing away from the ABLP.” That statement is so ridiculous that I would not expect hit to be reported.
First Smith did not switch from UPP to ABLP.
Leeis is a Cabinet member as an independent just like Asot Micheal who ran and won as an independent.
Anthony Lewis handling of his Cabinet portfolio has been flawless.
Lewis constituency and the Country for that matter is seeing what it is when a Cabinet member is working for the people and not the party.
Gaston will continue to support Lewis no different from ABLP candidates in order to make the point “you can win without UPP”
There is so much more that can be said in an analysis of Lovell jumping back into electoral politics.
Wickham is an example of individuals who run around the Caribbean calling themselves experts, when they know very little about business of political elections
Peter wink up, give me a break and keep outta antigua business!
Why are you always up in dey?😁
Up Inna dey?😅 hmmm
Go take care of your husband and continue to enjoy yourself in the south of France 🇫🇷 😉 wink, wink..
Do you see us up Inna Barbados Mia business?
Geez!! Gimme a break!..
Mr. Sodom!
Anti- man appear as soon as lovell on the scene, he must be glad that Lovell a generate employment and relevance for shim.
Wickham is an amateur masquerading as a political analyst.
Lovel returning may cause the cookie to crumble in UPP… The 3 (Lovel, Richard, Pringle) may not want to battle against each other for the party’s leadership. So either Lewis or Pringle may step down and give either one their support
Dear Gayguy, Asot gone over the other side, no more free funds and frolic in Antigua for you. Get lost!
Mr Wickham’s comments is very confusing and distasteful as he speaks out of the two sides of his mouth
CHUPSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS Wickham just move
I try not to be in politics in Antigua but I understand what Peter Wickham said. And to be honest, Harold Lovell’s candidacy for the All-Saints West seat is indeed promising, especially considering the significant changes within the United Progressive Party (UPP). With Anthony Smith’s switch to the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), there’s a clear opportunity for Lovell to capitalize on the shifting dynamics. And that is something you cannot deny. And that is encouraging. Lovell has demonstrated resilience and growth since his last campaign, and it seems that voters are looking for a strong alternative. SO lets see wagwannn . Exciting times in homeland. We watching
While Peter Wickham’s analysis of Harold Lovell’s chances may stem from his experience, it raises some concerns. Firstly, the assertion that Lovell has a better chance now than during his previous campaign lacks substantial evidence. Political landscapes can shift dramatically, and the optimism expressed seems overly simplistic given the complexities of voter sentiment and party dynamics.
Moreover, relying on the idea that a candidate may benefit from an opponent’s departure could overlook the fact that Smith’s shift to the ABLP might consolidate support for him rather than weaken it. Wickham’s perspective may be too focused on surface-level changes and doesn’t account for deeper issues that could impact Lovell’s appeal to voters.
While hope is essential in politics, it is equally important for analysts to provide nuanced insights rather than surface-level optimism, especially as the political scene evolves.
I’m not a political person but from clear vision, UPP has nothing to contest a powerhouse like ABLP. I know ABLP is quite unbothered by this small checkers move
Chupz. I would let this come out of my mouth. Embarrassing
Lovell is not old, he still has vibrancy in him and a sharp mind…it’s only in the Caribbean they view senior politicians as old rather than having wisdom to impart..America has had politicians in their 90’s and no one said they were too old because their minds were still in tact. The only problem with Lovell is, if he is to have even a ghost of a chance, Pringle MUST stand down for the good of the team, otherwise he would be adding another defeat to his collection.
Any other idiot could make those simplistic statements of Wickham.
Nothing in his statements suggests he is capable of being an independent political analyst.
His statements are simplistic ho wash
Peter wickam no go fix he husband breakfast and leave Lovell, you so glad Lovell do that so antigua foolish power addicted prime minister Gaston can open out the treasury to yo once more, but are we go talk to you husband and tell he for keep you busy doing house chores.
@The Real Political Analyst.
After reading all the frivolously emotional and disrespectful comments on here, yours seems to be the only one of substance.
I tend to agree with you for the most part. But I will add my own two cents.
Anthony Smith is a likeable candidate. He won handsomely in the last general elections because many Labourites were disenchanted with their own candidate, Dr. Michael Browne, who had his own personal legal issues (albeit resolved) and, after CoViD, the public generally were unhappy with some of the stance they perceived to have been taken by the ABLP administration such as mandatory vaccination, teargassing by the police during a march.
The opposition created a marketable hysteria around the water situation, the African migrants, and an unsubstantiated story regarding some 40 million dollars received by the current administration. There was also the narrative that the PM was “wanted” in the United States.
I was very clear by using the term, “perceived”.
Since Smith has resigned from the UPP and has gone independent, he has been putting in the work both in his constituency and in his assigned ministry of Agriculture. People are quite happy with him.
Not that it is impossible, but I can’t see a clear path to victory for Lovell when in the aftermath of Smith’s departure, people are experiencing his worth and value, while recognizing the continuous defection and resignation of long standing valuable members in the UPP.
People can appreciate Smith’s departure more than during its acute stage.
So, I’m not too sure of Lovell’s chances of victory in All Saints West.
The question I have is how was Barbara Coates able to convince him to run in her stead without the approval of the branch and the central executive? That statement is an overreach for me.
Politics is not an emotional support, but a strategic one.
Peter Wickham’s statement lacks depth, respectfully.
Pol star Peter Wickham is always on the ball. I have confidence in his predictions. For the UPP supporters who attacking Peter Wickham for his personal life is not good. Channel that energy in uniting the UPP to do the right thing
Who gives a dam or care what miss Wickham have to say? I can’t believe anyone is giving this charlatan any credibility.
Wickham’s Crystal Ball is Clouded: A Juggling Act of “What-Ifs” on Lovell’s Comeback
Political analyst Peter Wickham has weighed in on the All Saints West seat, but his analysis raises more questions than it answers. In what can only be described as a masterclass in political hedging, Wickham presents a string of “what-if” scenarios that ultimately lead to no definitive conclusion.
He begins by suggesting Harold Lovell “stands a stronger chance” than before, a statement that seems to be based entirely on the assumption that Anthony Smith’s defection will alienate voters. But then, he immediately qualifies this with a laundry list of caveats, stating the outcome “depends on election timing and conditions.” In other words, Lovell might win… but only if everything goes perfectly. This isn’t an analysis; it’s an exercise in stating the obvious.
Wickham then adds to the confusion by expressing “surprise” at Lovell’s return, and warning that it could “spark internal strife” and “ultimately benefit the ABLP.” So, is Lovell’s return a strength or a weakness? Wickham seems to want it both ways. He’s simultaneously arguing that Lovell is in a strong position to win the seat, while also suggesting his presence could tear the opposition apart and hand a victory to his rivals. This isn’t sophisticated analysis; it’s a contradiction.
He finishes by suggesting that Prime Minister Gaston Browne might not even care if Lovell wins the seat, as the chaos he could create within the UPP is a greater prize. This is pure speculation, assigning motivations to a political leader with no evidence. It’s an attempt to tie all the loose ends together with a tidy, but unsubstantiated, bow.
In the end, Wickham’s article offers no real insight. It’s a series of contradictory possibilities that leave the reader no closer to understanding the political reality in All Saints West. Rather than providing a clear analysis, it sounds like he’s simply tossing various scenarios against the wall to see what sticks.
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