Workers’ Party declines to nominate new Leader of the Opposition after Pritam Singh’s removal
The Workers’ Party has declined to nominate a new Leader of the Opposition following Pritam Singh’s removal, arguing that the role flows from electoral mandate rather than government appointment.
- The Workers’ Party has informed Prime Minister Lawrence Wong that it will not nominate another MP to assume the Leader of the Opposition role.
- The party said the position should naturally be held by the leader of the largest opposition party, arising from electoral mandate rather than government discretion.
- Prime Minister Wong removed Pritam Singh from the role on 15 January 2026 following his conviction, which the Prime Minister described as final and conclusive.
SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party (WP) has announced that it will not nominate another elected Member of Parliament to take on the Leader of the Opposition (LO) role following the removal of Pritam Singh from the post.
In a statement issued on 21 January 2026, the party said it had conveyed its position to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong after he invited WP to nominate a replacement for the role.
WP said it would instead continue focusing on its “primary duty, to work for Singaporeans and provide a rational, responsible, and respectable check on the Government”.
The party framed its decision as a matter of principle, emphasising the political origins of the LO role within Singapore’s parliamentary system.
According to the statement, the establishment of the LO office in 2020 marked a step forward in Singapore’s political development, reflecting a growing desire among voters for a greater diversity of views in Parliament.
The party noted that the recognition of a Leader of the Opposition was introduced by the People’s Action Party government following the opposition’s electoral gains, rather than as an executive appointment independent of election results.
WP said the LO role is conventionally extended to the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament, or determined by that party itself, rather than selected at the discretion of the government.
“It is the people’s vote that explains the presence of opposition MPs in Parliament,” the party said, reiterating that the authority of the role flows from electoral success.
The statement also drew comparisons with other Westminster-style parliamentary systems, where the title of Leader of the Opposition is established by law.
In such systems, WP said, the position is not treated as the prerogative or choice of the Prime Minister or the government of the day, but as an expression of voters’ will.
The party argued that this approach underscores the “authority and sanctity of the people’s vote”, which it said should be the guiding principle in determining opposition leadership.
On this basis, WP said it takes the view that the leader of the largest opposition party in Parliament is, by definition, the leader of the opposition.
“As such, the Workers’ Party has conveyed to the Prime Minister that we will not be nominating another Workers’ Party Member of Parliament to the LO post,” the statement said.
The announcement follows the formal removal of Mr Singh from the LO role on 15 January 2026 by Prime Minister Wong.
In a statement issued that day, the Prime Minister said the decision followed Mr Singh’s conviction by the District Court, which was later upheld on appeal.
According to Prime Minister Wong, the conviction confirmed the findings of the Committee of Privileges, making the legal outcome “final and conclusive”.
“This legal outcome is final and conclusive – it must be respected, and given full effect in determining his suitability to continue as the Leader of the Opposition,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that while Mr Singh had publicly expressed disagreement with the court’s findings, he had nevertheless accepted the outcome of the legal process.
The Prime Minister stressed that questions of guilt or innocence are matters determined by the courts, and not by political debate.
On the same day as his removal, Mr Singh addressed the situation in a post on his personal Facebook page.
“The work continues today, and it will continue tomorrow,” he wrote, signalling his intention to continue his parliamentary and political duties despite the loss of the LO title.
Mr Singh was first appointed Leader of the Opposition in 2020 by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The appointment followed the General Election in which the Workers’ Party won Aljunied and Sengkang Group Representation Constituencies, as well as Hougang Single Member Constituency.
The role of Leader of the Opposition carries enhanced parliamentary privileges.
These include additional speaking time, confidential briefings on national issues, staff support, and double the allowance of an elected Member of Parliament.
After the General Election in May 2025, Prime Minister Wong confirmed that Mr Singh would continue in the role. That confirmation came before the High Court dismissed Mr Singh’s appeal.
