[3] Following the elections, the People's National Congress (PNC) were allocated two of the Senate seats reserved for the opposition, with one given to the United Force.

The PNC claimed they should have been given all three seats, and its members attempted to block Governor Richard Luyt from entering the Legislature for its ceremonial opening on 6 October, requiring the police to remove them.

[4] Although the PPP had only received 1.6% more of the vote than the new People's National Congress, it had won almost double the number of seats.

This resulted in mass demonstrations led by the PNC, a general strike and severe inter-racial violence.

After a few weeks the British authorities intervened by sending in troops and the Governor declared a state of emergency.