▁Tur ton ▁as ▁his ▁private ▁secretary . ▁Price ▁also ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁Bel ize ▁Billboard , ▁then ▁run ▁by ▁Philip ▁Gold son . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁▁▁ ▁After ▁receiving ▁encourag ement ▁from ▁Tur ton , ▁Price ▁ran ▁for ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁Bel ize ▁City ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁being ▁successful ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁Upon ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Committee ▁( PC ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁Price ▁was ▁named ▁its ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary , ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁famous ▁speech ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁claimed ▁that ▁" National ▁Unity " ▁prop elled ▁the ▁PC ' s ▁actions . ▁With ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁P UP , ▁Price ' s ▁stat ure ▁rose ▁and ▁he ▁asc ended ▁through ▁the ▁party ▁ranks ▁until ▁he ▁became ▁Party ▁Le ader ▁following ▁a ▁leadership ▁dispute ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁ ▁Elect ed ▁to ▁the ▁col ony ' s ▁newly ▁created ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁he ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁mayor ▁of ▁Bel ize ▁City ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 2 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁Price ▁became ▁party ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁P UP . ▁As ▁First ▁Minister , ▁a ▁post ▁he ▁held ▁since ▁ 1 9 6 1 , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁team ▁which ▁began ▁negoti ations ▁over ▁independence ▁with ▁The ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁He ▁maintained ▁that ▁post ▁as ▁Premier ▁in ▁ 1