The St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) was founded in 1950 by George Charles and others.  It had a majority in the St. Lucia Assembly from 1951 to 1964.  It then lost the elections and went into opposition until 1979.  Its first post-independence term of office, 1979 to 1982, was dogged by divisions within the party, which led to changes of Prime Minister and cost it support.  After 1982, the SLP was again in opposition for fifteen years, but returned to power in 1997 with a landslide victory of 16 seats to one.  It won another decisive victory in 2001. 

Its 2006 manifesto pointed to the improvements in infrastructure (fisheries, highways, street lighting, telecommunications and e-government) that it could claim over its time in office, with increases in GDP growth and lowered unemployment, and a “more egalitarian society” with better social services.  Its 2006 slogans, “Stay with Labour” and “Keep St Lucia Moving”, emphasized the need to “keep up the good work” that had been achieved since 1997.

The Labour Party won the Saint Lucian general election, 2011 (28 November 2011), winning in 11 out of a 17-seats.

The Labour Party lost the 2016 elections to the UWP by 11 seats to 6, and Kenny Anthony resigned as party leader. Former Deputy PM Philip J. Pierre was confirmed as party leader on 18 June 2016.