Anti-government sentiment over vaccination has gripped many people in Antigua and Barbuda. Frustration with unemployment is high amidst a prolonged Covid-19 recession. The government's spending power has plummeted dramatically. After an acrimonious and very public falling out with the Prime Minister, party stalwart and now disgraced MP Asot Michael has vowed to "not to be pushed out" of his constituency. But his party is polling his St. Peter to install his replacement. Meanwhile, MP Michael Browne is in court for a criminal charge, sacked from the Cabinet till it's resolved. Where does that leave All Saints West? And has Gaston Browne's popularity changed at all amidst this Covid-19 crisis? Did it call for a leader usually seen as callous and scathing, to become a unifying figure?

Or, maybe those are all petty issues. Maybe anti-government sentiment is overestimated. Maybe the holes in the slate will be resolved without incident. Maybe patronage at the constituency level has already guaranteed the victory. Labour MP Lennox Weston says for voters, politics is all about what politicians "do for me personally". Who knows how many people have been done for personally since 2018, and even amidst the pandemic? What do you think? In this episode we ask: How strong will the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) be when it heads into the next general election?

The host is Kieron Murdoch. The guests are:

This programme first aired on NewsCo Observer Radio 91.1 FM on August 8th, 2021. Get the latest news from Antigua and Barbuda at the Antigua Observer online.