Desire the Right Party

Desire the Right Party
AbbreviationDRP
ChairmanMike Rendell (1987–1996)
Founded1987
Dissolved1996
HeadquartersStanley, Falkland Islands

The Desire the Right Party (DRP) was a political party in the Falkland Islands, one of the only political parties in the history of the Falklands, which has traditionally acted as a non-partisan democracy. The other party that existed in the islands was the National Progressive Party, founded on 24 July 1964 and active for a brief time in the 1960s.[1][2]

History

The party was founded in 1987 under the initiative from Brook Hardcastle and Robert Pitaluga, local farm entrepreneurs.[3] The party's Constitution was approved in December 1988.[4]

The name of the party is derived from the motto of the Falklands. The party proposed to maintain the sovereignty under British sphere of influence but allowing more autonomy,[3] and advocated limited rapprochement with Argentina but received little support from the Falkland Islanders with its candidates not winning any seats in the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands in the two general elections the party contested.[5] The party was initially rumoured to campaign on the platform of Falkland Islands independence,[6] though the party executive denied this but it led to suspicions from Falkland Islanders of what the party was representing.[7] In 1989, they financed their own newspaper called The Islander.[8]

The party made a sort of primary election to define the candidates it should present to the 1989 general election.[9] Following the failure of the Desire the Right Party to win any seats, at the 1993 Falkland Islands general election, despite being the only political party active on the Falkland Islands, all of their members stood as independents along with all of the other candidates.[10] It ceased to operate in 1996.[11]

Election results

ElectionVotesPercentageSeats
1989 217
6.98%
0 / 8
1993 139
3.85%
0 / 8

References

  1. ↑ M. González (2013). The Genesis of the Falklands (Malvinas) Conflict: Argentina, Britain and the Failed Negotiations of the 1960s. Springer. pp. 306–. ISBN 978-1-137-35423-5. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Falkland Islands National Progressive Party" (PDF). Falkland Islands Monthly Review. November 1964. Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. 1 2 "First Falklands political party" (PDF). Falkland Islands Newsletter. August 1987. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "DRP and the general election" (PDF). Falkland Islands Newsletter. June 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  5. ↑ The Europa World Year Book 2004 - Volume II: Kazakhstan - Zimbabwe. Taylor & Francis Group. 2004. pp. 4461–. ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "DRP and the General Election" (PDF). Falklands Islands Newsletter. 1989. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Desire the Right Party: The First Steps" (PDF). Penguin News. 22 January 1988. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Motion for Adjournment" (PDF). Falkland Islands Legislative Council. 26 April 1989. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "DRP election candidates" (PDF). Falkland Islands Newsletter. March 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Wanted: A Special Fisheries Package" (PDF). Penguin News. 2 October 1993. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Chapter 13" (PDF). Falklands Wars – the History of the Falkland Island. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
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