Wendy Bates

Wendy Bates is a Santa Dominican activist, social worker, and politician who has served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party since 2022. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Colony since 2021. Wendy Bates is largely characterised as being a left-wing to far-left leader of the Labour Party, and narrowly beat former Prime Minister Thomas Laurent in a runoff membership election for the leadership of the Labour Party following their loss in 2022. Wendy Bates won the leadership election on the backs of younger, more radical members of the Party, and has drastically increased membership in the Party such that it now surpasses the Conservative Party to be the largest party in the country in terms of membership. Her leadership style is controversial within her party, with many towards the centre of the Labour Party questioning her leadership and her ability to win a general election. Her politics and disposition as a radical has led many to liken her to the former leader of the Labour Party of the United Kingdom Jeremy Corbyn.