General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 2 June 1971. The result was a victory for a coalition of the VI Democratic Party (DP) together with independent candidate Willard Wheatley over the newly formed Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by former Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt, and incumbent BVI United Party (UP) led by Conrad Maduro.

Quick Facts All seats in the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council 4 seats needed for a majority, First party ...

1971 British Virgin Islands general election

← 1967 2 June 1971 (1971-06-02) 1975 →
All seats in the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council 4 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Q.W. Osborne Lavity Stoutt Conrad Maduro Party VIDP VIP United Party Leader since 1967 1971 1971 Leader's seat 4th District 1st District 5th District Last election 2 – 4 Seats won 3 2 1 Seat change 1 New 3
Chief Minister before election Lavity Stoutt United Party Elected Chief Minister Willard Wheatley Independent

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Prior to the election Stoutt had was serving as Chief Minister and leader of the UP, but due to internal divisions Stoutt left and formed his new party to contest the election against the UP and the DP, but ended up losing and being replaced by Wheatley as Chief Minister.

The election was also notable for the first female candidate in a British Virgin Islands election: Millicent Mercer contested the 5th District on behalf of the VIP, but lost to Conrad Maduro.

In the 7th District the former representative, Robinson O'Neal, had died in a car crash the prior year.

Following the election:^[1]

• Willard Wheatley was appointed Chief Minister and Minister for Education
• Oliver Cills was appointed Minister for Communications, Works and Industry
• Q.W. Osborne was appointed Minister for Natural Resources and Public Health
• Lavity Stoutt became the Leader of the Opposition