Ralph Thorne | |
Honorific-Suffix: | QC MP |
Office: | Leader of the Opposition |
Termstart: | 12 February 2024 |
Primeminister: | Mia Mottley |
Office1: | Leader of the Democratic Labour Party |
Term Start1: | 19 February 2024 |
Predecessor1: | Ronnie Yearwood |
Office2: | Member of Parliament for Christ Church South |
Term Start2: | 24 May 2018 |
Primeminister2: | Mia Mottley |
Predecessor2: | John D. E. Boyce |
Party: | Democratic Labour Party (2024–) |
Otherparty: | Barbados Labour Party (Until February 2024) |
Ralph Thorne is a Barbadian politician and lawyer who has served as Leader of the Opposition since 2024. He was elected in 2018 as a candidate of the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) for Christ Church South on 24 May 2018.[1] He later crossed the floor and became an independent in February 2024 [2] which made him the leader of the opposition upon defection as the BLP had held all seats in the lower house up until that point. He was sworn in on 12 February 2024.[3] On 19 February, Thorne was proclaimed as political leader of the Democratic Labour Party, while Ronnie Yearwood remains President of the party. Thorne's move has returned the DLP to the House of Assembly for the first time since 2018.[4]