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Today, he called the press to City Hall to congratulate his opponent - and say he learned some mighty big lessons:

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"My colleague and councilor in Councilor Leslie, he won. Congratulations to him. We've had one telephone conversation. We've expressed to continue working with each other, working together. I am satisfied with the work the team put in on my behalf. We didn't win, yes. I concede to that, but other than that I think we did a magnificent job with what we had, so I am grateful for that."

Reporter
"But you look disappointed sir."

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"Well no one gets in to a battle to lose, but unfortunately this time around someone had to lose and I am the loser. So I take that loss and I learned from it and I'll grow from it. It still means that Phillip Willoughby has the opportunity to work for Belize City and the residents and as I pledge I'll work even harder this time around for the city going into the next election."

And while Willoughby did his best to put a good face on it - by our reckoning, it's got to hurt. A fort term councillor who's put in work for his party was basically cast aside and operated without declared support from any of the UDP's six city representatives, and none of his councillor colleagues. Today, he said it's all on him:...

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"We ran our campaign. I concede to losing and I accept that. So we don't need to sit here and belabored the point which area representative did not did not or what I would have done or did not contribute. I accept that. So I am saying to the people who supported me if it is that we are going to move forward we need to unite behind the new mayoral UDP candidate which is Mr. Leslie."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But it had to be particularly painful for Albert to have gone - I think they work hard against that area of the compound. You were the person who stepped aside to make sure she had an endorsement in the Albert. Shouldn't she have at least remained neutral?"

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"To be honest with you democracy is what it is. She had the right to choose if she like a candidate and she choose her candidate. I can't be upset or mad at anyone for choosing sides."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"But man basic loyalty Phillip."

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"Does that exist?"

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"You think that were in the presence of unfair voting practices? Those we heard a lot of stories being that certain political officers and representatives were unduly influencing their constituents to vote down the line or vote for Dion, that type of thing. Did you heard any such thing? What do you think about it?"

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"Like I said, at the end of the day Mr. Leslie won and I lost and the process was a democratic whether we accept it or accept it not. Those are your views, your comments. We move forward and like I said here on out I get up and I still will jump on my bicycle and ride around, do what I do. I will still get out there and work for the residents of the city."

Jules Vasquez, reporter
"Sir, there is a thing called 'tek you likely.' Is there any chance that the UDP takes you likely? You have been interested in various races and you put in the work in Freetown many years ago, in Albert recently, then you made a promise that... now you get into this race, not one elected representative outwardly supports you. Has the UDP taken you likely?"

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"I will end with this: maybe they see something I don't see."

But Willoughby says that he's sticking to his tax forgiveness platform - even though he lost. As we had reported, Willoughby referenced a little used law during his campaign which states that there can be forgiveness of arrears for indigent persons who owe property tax. Mayor Darrell Bradley basically blasted him, saying there's no such policy.

But, Willoughby says compassionate governance is the way forward:

Phillip Willoughby, Lost Mayor/Won Councilor
"It is now our responsibility to ensure we create that softer social side for the residents of the city. Especially our young people in these challenging communities who at this time as you see these new episode of crimes between our young men. We have a responsibility. So I have said that I will continue to work with these social programs to do my best to see what I personally can do and what I can bring to the council to assist any agencies out there or government ministry for us to challenge this surge of crimes within amongst our young people. So I will still fight that cause and I will still championed that cause."

Running as both councillor and mayor Willoughby received a total of five thousand votes, meaning that almost everyone who went to the convention voted for him in one way or the other.