Historically, the BLP claims a heritage from British liberalism,[1] while the DLP was founded 11 years afterwards as a more left-leaning breakaway group.

[4] In the following election in 1961 it received fewer votes than the BLP, but won a majority of the seats in Parliament, with Barrow becoming Premier.

After the party retained power in the 1966 election (this time with a plurality of the vote),[5] Barrow became the country's first prime minister.

[7] After losing the 2022 election which resulted in the DLP not regaining any seats in the House of Assembly, De Peiza resigned on 21 January 2022.

[9] Barbados Labour Party MP Ralph Thorne left the BLP in February 2024, becoming Leader of the Opposition.