# One Bermuda Alliance > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/One_Bermuda_Alliance > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/One_Bermuda_Alliance.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Bermuda_Alliance > Source revision: 1337173013 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox political party | name = One Bermuda Alliance | logo = OBA logo-en.png | logo_size = 250px | leader = Ben Smith{{Cite web|date=2025-09-08|title=OBA Caucus elects Ben Smith|url=https://bernews.com/2026/02/oba-caucus-elects-ben-smith-leader/?}} | chairperson = William Soares{{cite web |title=Meet the One Bermuda Alliance team |url=https://oba.bm/team/ |website=One Bermuda Alliance |access-date=7 February 2026}} | merger = [United Bermuda Party](/source/United_Bermuda_Party)
[Bermuda Democratic Alliance](/source/Bermuda_Democratic_Alliance) | slogan = ''Putting Bermuda first'' | founded = 17 May 2011 | ideology = [Fiscal conservatism](/source/Fiscal_conservatism)
[Direct democracy](/source/Direct_democracy)
[Reformism](/source/Reformism) | position = [Centre-right](/source/Centre-right_politics){{Cite web|url=https://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=531970037&Country=Bermuda&topic=Politics&subtopic=Forecast&subsubtopic=Political+stability&u=1&pid=1375338721&oid=1375338721&uid=1|title=Risks to government continuity persist}} | website = {{URL|http://www.oba.bm}} | headquarters = Reid Street,
[Hamilton, Bermuda](/source/Hamilton%2C_Bermuda) | seats1_title = [Senate](/source/Senate_of_Bermuda) | seats1 = {{Composition bar|3|11|{{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} | seats2_title = [Assembly](/source/House_of_Assembly_of_Bermuda) | seats2 = {{Composition bar|11|36|{{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} | colorcode = {{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}} | country = Bermuda | blank1_title = UK affiliation | blank1 = }} The '''One Bermuda Alliance''' ('''OBA''') is one of two [political parties](/source/political_parties) in [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda) with elected members of the Bermuda's legislative assembly. It was created in May 2011 by the merger of most members of Bermuda's two non-Labour parties, the [United Bermuda Party](/source/United_Bermuda_Party) and the [Bermuda Democratic Alliance](/source/Bermuda_Democratic_Alliance). It won the 2012 election and governed until 2017. Since then, it has been the [official opposition](/source/official_opposition) in Bermuda's [House of Assembly](/source/House_of_Assembly_of_Bermuda) (currently holding 11 of its 36 seats). ==History== The United Bermuda Party (UBP) was founded in 1964 and won every Bermuda election until 1998, when it lost to the [Progressive Labour Party](/source/Progressive_Labour_Party_(Bermuda)). The UBP remained the official opposition party until 2011. The [Bermuda Democratic Alliance](/source/Bermuda_Democratic_Alliance) (BDA) was formed in 2009 by breakaway members of the UBP that believed only a new party could win voters from the PLP. It contested one by-election in December 2010, coming in third behind the PLP and UBP, with the PLP retaining about the same support level that it had in the 2007 general election.[http://bermudasun.bm/main.asp?SectionID=24&subsectionID=901&articleID=49623 ''Bermuda Sun''], 15 December 2010. Concern that [vote-splitting](/source/vote-splitting) among the two non-Labour parties would result in an easy victory for the PLP prompted the BDA and UBP to enter merger talks. The initial intention of UBP and BDA negotiators was to formally merge the two parties,{{Cite web|url=http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20110504/NEWS01/705049947|title=UBP agrees to merge with BDA | The Royal Gazette:Bermuda Politics}} but when UBP leader Kim Swan sought an injunction to block the merger, seven sitting MPs of the UBP quit their former party and joined the three BDA members to become Bermuda's new official opposition on 17 May 2011.{{Cite web|url=http://bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/News/Article/Mass-resignation-by-UBP-MPs/24/270/52090|title=Mass resignation by UBP MPs|website=bermudasun.bm}} The party held its inaugural leadership convention on 10 September 2011, where the former BDA leader, Senator Craig Cannonier, narrowly won the party leadership over challenger [Everard T. (Bob) Richards](/source/Everard_T._(Bob)_Richards).{{Cite web|url=http://bermudasun.bm/Content/NEWS/Politics/Article/Cannonier-beats-Richards-by-a-whisker-in-OBA-leadership-election/24/901/54139|title=Cannonier beats Richards by a whisker in OBA leadership election|website=bermudasun.bm}} The party won the [2012 elections](/source/Bermudan_general_election%2C_2012), taking 19 of the 36 seats in the [House of Assembly](/source/House_of_Assembly_of_Bermuda).[http://election.bphlgrp.com/ "Election Map"], ''Royal Gazette'', 17 December 2012. Cannonier resigned party leadership on 19 May 2014,{{Cite web|url=http://bernews.com/2014/05/breaking-news-expected-about-craig-cannonier/|title=Live Blog: Michael Dunkley Has Been Sworn In|date=20 May 2014}} and [Michael Dunkley](/source/Michael_Dunkley) became party leader and Premier. The party lost its parliamentary majority in March 2017 after two members left the party to become independents, and Dunkley called an [election for 18 July 2017](/source/Bermudian_general_election%2C_2017). The party lost 7 seats to the PLP, retaining 12 of the 36 seats, and prompting Dunkley to resign as party leader the following day.''Royal Gazette'', 19 July 2017, [http://www.royalgazette.com/politics/article/20170719/dunkley-resigns-as-oba-leader Dunkley resigns as OBA leader] Jeanne Atherden became the new leader but resigned in September 2018 after internal dissension, with Craig Cannonier returning as leader. After the party retained only 6 seats in the 2020 Bermudian general election, Cannonier resigned as party leader in October 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-28|title=The OBA Has A New Leader: Craig Cannonier Is Out, Cole Simons Steps In|url=https://www.bermudareal.com/the-oba-has-a-new-leader-craig-cannonier-is-out-cole-simons-steps-in/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=Bermuda Real|language=en-US}} N.H. Cole Simons was later sworn in as party leader on 2 November 2020, having been the only candidate for the role and remained in post until August 2023.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-28|title=Cole Simons Stands Down As OBA Leader|url=https://bernews.com/2023/08/cole-simons-stands-oba-leader/|access-date=2023-08-08|website=Bernews|language=en-US}} Jarion Richardson was later sworn in as party leader on 10 August 2023.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-28|title=Jarion Richardson Sworn In As Opposition Leader|url=https://bernews.com/2023/08/jarion-richardson-sworn-in-as-oba-leader/|access-date=2023-10-08|website=Bernews|language=en-US}} In the [https://elections.gov.bm/results/GE-2025-01 February 2025 general election], the One Bermuda Alliance was defeated by the Progressive Labour Party, though the OBA gained three additional seats. In July 2025, [https://bbc.bm/jarion-richardson-to-step-down-as-opposition-leader Jarion Richardson announced his intention to step down as party leader] at the annual conference. The annual conference was held on 6 September 2025. The leadership race attracted the largest turnout of OBA members since the party's formation. Deputy Leader Ben Smith was defeated by newcomer [https://www.royalgazette.com/politics/news/article/20250908/robert-king-crowned-oba-leader/ Robert King, who was elected as the new party leader]. On 5 February 2026, OBA MPs delivered a [https://www.royalgazette.com/politics/news/article/20260206/king-has-regard-for-will-of-the-people-amid-leadership-doubts/ motion of no confidence in King] to the Governor. This was ratified by caucus on 6 February, making Ben Smith the Leader of the Party and His Majesty's Official Opposition. ==Policies== The party's initial slogan was "Putting Bermuda First." Its policies on its foundation included: * balancing the budget in its first term * cutting Ministerial pay by at least 10% * allocating more government contracts to small business * additional resources for police * introducing a fully integrated technical curriculum and a longer school day * having fixed term elections, right to petition for referendums and [recall](/source/Recall_election) of MPs. ==Party leaders== {| class=wikitable ! Leader ! Entered office ! Left office |- | [John Barritt](/source/John_Barritt) (interim) || May 2011 || September 2011 |- | [Craig Cannonier](/source/Craig_Cannonier) || September 2011 || May 2014 |- | [Michael Dunkley](/source/Michael_Dunkley) || May 2014 || July 2017 |- | [Patricia Gordon-Pamplin](/source/Patricia_Gordon-Pamplin) (interim) || July 2017 || November 2017 |- | [Jeanne Atherden](/source/Jeanne_Atherden) || November 2017 || September 2018 |- | [Craig Cannonier](/source/Craig_Cannonier) || September 2018 || October 2020 |- | [N.H. Cole Simons](/source/N.H._Cole_Simons) || November 2020 || August 2023 |- | [Jarion Richardson](/source/Jarion_Richardson) || August 2023 || September 2025 |- | [Robert King](/source/Robert_King) || September 6, 2025 || February 6, 2026 |- | [Ben Smith](/source/Ben_Smith) || February 6, 2026 || Present |} == Election results == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Election ! rowspan="2" |Party leader ! colspan="3" |Votes ! colspan="3" |Seats ! rowspan="2" |Position ! rowspan="2" |Government |- !No. !% !± !No. of candidates !No. of seats won !± |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}" | |'''[2012](/source/Bermudian_general_election%2C_2012)''' |[Craig Cannonier](/source/Craig_Cannonier) |15,949 |51.70% |— |36 |{{composition bar|19|36|hex={{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} |— | 1st |{{yes2|OBA}} |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}" | |'''[2017](/source/Bermudian_general_election%2C_2017)''' |[Michael Dunkley](/source/Michael_Dunkley) |13,837 |40.62% |{{decrease}} 11.06 |36 |{{composition bar|12|36|hex={{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} |{{decrease}} 7 | {{decrease}} 2nd |{{no2|[PLP](/source/Progressive_Labour_Party_(Bermuda))}} |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}" | |'''[2020](/source/2020_Bermudian_general_election)''' |[Craig Cannonier](/source/Craig_Cannonier) |8,314 |32.27% |{{decrease}} 8.34 |36 |{{composition bar|6|36|hex={{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} |{{decrease}} 6 | {{steady}} 2nd |{{no2|PLP}} |- ! style="background-color: {{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}" | |'''[2025](/source/2025_Bermudian_general_election)''' |[Jarion Richardson](/source/Jarion_Richardson) |9,133 |36.86% |{{increase}}4.59 |36 |{{composition bar|11|36|hex={{party color|One Bermuda Alliance}}}} |{{increase}}5 |{{steady}} 2nd |{{no2|PLP}} |} ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110902060121/http://www.oba.bm/ Official website] {{Bermudian political parties}} {{Bermuda topics}} Category:Conservative parties in North America Category:Political parties in Bermuda Category:Political parties established in 2011 Category:2011 establishments in Bermuda Category:Conservative parties in dependent territories of the United Kingdom --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [One Bermuda Alliance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Bermuda_Alliance) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Bermuda_Alliance?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.