The party was established in 1968 under the leadership of George Walter and Donald Halstead, emerging from the Antigua Workers' Union, which had been established in 1967 as a breakaway from the Antigua Labour Party-affiliated Antigua Trades and Labour Union.
A series of corruption scandals involving PLM ministers, together with a severe economic downturn caused by the Oil Shock, led to a drop in support for the PLM.
[3] In the 1980 elections, the party lost more support, and won only three seats.
A further slump saw them lose their parliamentary representation following the 1984 elections, in which they received only 356 votes.
[4] This article about an Antigua and Barbuda political party is a stub.