England seizes the Virgin Islands from Dutch pirates and establishes in 1666 the colony of Virgin Islands (later called the British Virgin Islands). In 1833 the British Virgin Islands become part of the Leeward Islands. When the Leeward Island join in 1958 the British West Indies, the British Virgin Islands become a seperate British dependency. Since 1967 the Virgin Islands are a parliamentary democracy with an own chief minister. That year H. Lavitty Stout of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) becomes chief minister. He remains that until 1971. Between 1971-1975 the non-partisan Willard Wheatley leads a government without the VIP but including the United Party (UP), but after the elections of 1975 the VIP participates in a government led by Wheatley. In 1979 Stoutt regains the premiership. In 1983 the VIP is defeated at the polls and the non-partisan Cyril Romney becomes chief minister in a coalition with the UP. But in 1986 the VIP wins the elections: Stout becomes chief minister again. After his death in 1995 he is succeeded by Ralph O'Neal. The VIP wins the elections of 1999 and remains in government. After the elections of 2003 Orlando Smith of the winning National Democratic Party (NDP) ends the VIP rule since 1986.