Willock Campaign Slogan Sparks Political Debate
Former House Speaker Julian Willock has adopted the campaign slogan With Willock We Win as he eyes elected office in the Virgin Islands. The phrase mirrors a past slogan used by his longtime political adversary, Myron Walwyn, highlighting Willock's ongoing transition from media critic to political candidate.
Political observers across the British Virgin Islands are noting a striking sense of political deja vu following the emergence of former House of Assembly Speaker Julian Willock's new campaign slogan: With Willock We Win. The phrasing bears an unmistakable resemblance to the December 2010 rollout of Myron Walwyn as a National Democratic Party At-Large candidate.
During that campaign launch at the Treasure Isle Hotel, supporters gathered in matching shirts bearing the phrase With Myron We Win. The rhetorical parallel is particularly noteworthy given the long and combative history between the two men. For years, Willock served as one of Walwyn's most prominent public critics through his close association with the media outlet Virgin Islands News Online.
The contentious relationship produced intense public friction between 2015 and 2016, marked by sharp editorial headlines and fiery debates within the House of Assembly. The dispute eventually escalated to the formal legal arena when Walwyn filed a defamation lawsuit against Willock and the publication, a matter that proceeded toward trial after court-mandated mediation failed to achieve a resolution.
Willock's current political trajectory represents a notable evolution within the local political landscape. Having spent substantial time operating outside the political establishment as a media commentator challenging elected officials, he later transitioned inside governance, serving as Speaker of the House of Assembly and subsequently as a political adviser to the Premier.
He is now positioning himself directly before the electorate as an aspiring candidate for public office. As election discussions begin to take shape across the territory, analysts note that the transition from political critic to candidate carries increased scrutiny. For BVI voters evaluating prospective leaders, the central conversation moving forward will likely focus less on campaign branding and more on the substantive policies and governance solutions candidates intend to deliver once in office.
Primary source: Guavaberry