Virgin Islands Party (British Virgin Islands)

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The Virgin Islands Party (or VIP) is a political party in the British Virgin Islands, led by Premier Ralph T. O'Neal.

The Virgin Islands Party has held power in the British Virgin Islands for all except for 15 years since the adoption of the modern Legislative Council in 1967. It was originally formed by Lavity Stoutt when he left the United Party then led by Willard Wheatley. Since its inception, the party has only been led by two men: Lavity Stoutt and Ralph O'Neal; the two party leaders are also the only two politicians in the history of the Territory to have held non-consecutive terms of office as either Chief Minister or Premier.

The party most recently regained power after the 2007 general election held on 20 August 2007 when it crushed the incumbent National Democratic Party (NDP) by 10 seats to 2 (with one seat going to an independent candidate endorsed by the Virgin Islands Party).

Prior to that, the party had most recently lost power at the 2003 general election, held on 16 June 2003, when the party won only 42.2% of the popular votes and five out of thirteen elected seats.

Before its defeat by the NDP in 2003, the Virgin Islands Party had held power since 1986.

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