Regional pollster Peter Wickham says United Progressive Party (UPP) leader Jamale Pringle may come under pressure to offer his resignation following the party’s defeat in the St. Philip North by-election.

Analyzing the results, Wickham described the outcome as a significant setback for the opposition, stating that the UPP is “on the back foot” and at one of its weakest points in recent years.

He suggested that, in keeping with Westminster political traditions, Pringle may be expected to consider stepping aside. “In our Westminster system, invariably when a party leader leads a party into a defeat such as this, I think the honourable thing to do is to offer your resignation,” Wickham said, while noting that it would ultimately be up to Pringle and the party.

Wickham added that such a move could open the door for internal decisions on leadership and potentially create broader political implications. He argued that a leadership vacancy within the UPP could present what he described as a “unique political opportunity” for the governing Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP).

He said the scale of Randy Baltimore’s victory — which saw the ABLP secure one of its strongest performances in the constituency — has intensified questions about the opposition’s direction, making the by-election “as much about Jamale Pringle as it was about Randy Baltimore.”