| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for, and in connection with, the attainment by Barbados of fully responsible status within theCommonwealth. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1966 c. 37 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 17 November 1966 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
TheBarbados Independence Act 1966 (c. 37) is anact of theParliament of the United Kingdom that grantedindependence toBarbados with effect from 30 November 1966. The Act also provided for the granting of a newconstitution to take effect upon independence, which was done by theBarbados Independence Order 1966.
As a result of the Act, Barbados became thefourth English-speaking country in theWest Indies to achieve full independence from theUnited Kingdom, afterJamaica,Trinidad & Tobago, andGuyana. At independence, Barbados became a member of theCommonwealth of Nations as aCommonwealth realm; prior to this, Barbados had been a fully self-governingBritish colony from 1961.
The bill was first presented in theHouse of Commons of the United Kingdom as theBarbados Independence Bill on 28 October 1966, bySecretary of State for the Colonies,Frederick Lee.[1] It was passed in the House of Commons after a third reading and committee on 2 November 1966, without amendments.[2]It entered theHouse of Lords on 3 November 1966 and was read byMalcolm Shepherd, 2nd Baron Shepherd on 10 November 1966.[3] It was passed in the House of Lords on 15 November 1966 without any amendments.[4]
The bill receivedRoyal assent on 17 November 1966, fromQueen Elizabeth II.[5] before taking effect on 30 November that year.
Barbados then remained a constitutional monarchy under the Barbadian monarch until announcing a conscientious republic status following anelectoral college style referendum on 30 November 2021.[6]
Address to the Barbados Constitutional Conference in London, July 1966 by Errol Barrow
