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| Jeremy Corbyn's team targets Labour membership of 1 million Jeremy Corbyn's team targets Labour membership of 1 million | |
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| Jeremy Corbyn’s team is aiming to build on the surge in Labour membership, setting an ambitious target of 1 million. | Jeremy Corbyn’s team is aiming to build on the surge in Labour membership, setting an ambitious target of 1 million. |
| Labour already boasts the largest number of members of any political party in western Europe, with 551,000, up from 388,407 on 10 January. | Labour already boasts the largest number of members of any political party in western Europe, with 551,000, up from 388,407 on 10 January. |
| Corbyn hopes this mass membership will provide Labour with an edge over the Conservatives in a general election, although some longstanding party officers have expressed scepticism, complaining about lack of involvement among new members. | Corbyn hopes this mass membership will provide Labour with an edge over the Conservatives in a general election, although some longstanding party officers have expressed scepticism, complaining about lack of involvement among new members. |
| Corbyn’s team toyed with the idea of calling the membership drive “Make It a Million” but discarded this on the grounds that it could turn into a hostage to fortune if they fail to reach that target. Instead, they have opted for “The Time is Now”. | Corbyn’s team toyed with the idea of calling the membership drive “Make It a Million” but discarded this on the grounds that it could turn into a hostage to fortune if they fail to reach that target. Instead, they have opted for “The Time is Now”. |
| Labour in the mid-1990s, under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, also set a target of a million but peaked at 405,000 in 1997. | Labour in the mid-1990s, under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, also set a target of a million but peaked at 405,000 in 1997. |
| A side benefit of the rapid rise in membership is that it has left Labour in its strongest financial position in years, with £51m in the bank. | A side benefit of the rapid rise in membership is that it has left Labour in its strongest financial position in years, with £51m in the bank. |
| The influx of new members is changing the makeup of constituency Labour parties, creating a lot of potential flashpoints, with long-term officers facing replacement by leftwingers, a push to make grassroots party meetings more interesting and an overhaul in campaigning techniques. | The influx of new members is changing the makeup of constituency Labour parties, creating a lot of potential flashpoints, with long-term officers facing replacement by leftwingers, a push to make grassroots party meetings more interesting and an overhaul in campaigning techniques. |
| Tensions will be high over the next few weeks as constituency Labour parties meet for the first time since activities were suspended over the summer for the duration of the leadership contest. | Tensions will be high over the next few weeks as constituency Labour parties meet for the first time since activities were suspended over the summer for the duration of the leadership contest. |
| One of the new members, Jacob Mukherjee, a 33-year-old lecturer and PhD student – and self-declared leftwinger – from Walthamstow, in east London, said he had joined Labour in June, shaken by the EU referendum result. | One of the new members, Jacob Mukherjee, a 33-year-old lecturer and PhD student – and self-declared leftwinger – from Walthamstow, in east London, said he had joined Labour in June, shaken by the EU referendum result. |
| “I was feeling the country was sliding down a scary, reactionary path,” he said, at a Momentum conference in Liverpool. He had only been to one constituency party meeting so far, in July, because of the Labour suspension of grassroots activity. | “I was feeling the country was sliding down a scary, reactionary path,” he said, at a Momentum conference in Liverpool. He had only been to one constituency party meeting so far, in July, because of the Labour suspension of grassroots activity. |
| Mukherjee said he had enjoyed the meeting, which attracted 150 members, about 80% of whom he estimated had never been at a Labour meeting before. “But one of the issues I have is that political meetings can be quite boring and the older generation, not all of them, have a particular idea of how to run a meeting that is bureaucratic and hierarchical and a turn-off for new members,” he said. | Mukherjee said he had enjoyed the meeting, which attracted 150 members, about 80% of whom he estimated had never been at a Labour meeting before. “But one of the issues I have is that political meetings can be quite boring and the older generation, not all of them, have a particular idea of how to run a meeting that is bureaucratic and hierarchical and a turn-off for new members,” he said. |
| Asked if he would campaign for Labour in elections, he said he would if the party changed its approach. He favours more political discussion, pluralism – involving other parties such as the Greens – and being engaged in social movements. “Pounding the streets is only appealing if you feel you own the policies,” he said. “I did not campaign for Sadiq Khan [elected London mayor in May] but I would have if I had had a say in policies.” | Asked if he would campaign for Labour in elections, he said he would if the party changed its approach. He favours more political discussion, pluralism – involving other parties such as the Greens – and being engaged in social movements. “Pounding the streets is only appealing if you feel you own the policies,” he said. “I did not campaign for Sadiq Khan [elected London mayor in May] but I would have if I had had a say in policies.” |
| Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, has done extensive research in collaboration with the University of Sussex into new members. | Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, has done extensive research in collaboration with the University of Sussex into new members. |
| On paper Labour, with 515,000 members versus the Conservatives’ estimated 120,000-150,000, would seem in a strong position in terms of volunteers. But Bale said the Conservatives were well-off financially – as they showed in the 2015 general election – and could afford to pay people to deliver leaflets and for other campaigning. | On paper Labour, with 515,000 members versus the Conservatives’ estimated 120,000-150,000, would seem in a strong position in terms of volunteers. But Bale said the Conservatives were well-off financially – as they showed in the 2015 general election – and could afford to pay people to deliver leaflets and for other campaigning. |
| “The number of members does not mean Labour will have an advantage,” Bale said, adding that too many of the new members were from the south of England and more needed to be in marginals that Labour needed to win. | “The number of members does not mean Labour will have an advantage,” Bale said, adding that too many of the new members were from the south of England and more needed to be in marginals that Labour needed to win. |
| The survey, which interviewed more than 2,000 members who had joined between the general election in May 2015 and the mayoral and council elections of May 2016, lends support to complaints from constituency party officers about the levels of engagement of new members. | The survey, which interviewed more than 2,000 members who had joined between the general election in May 2015 and the mayoral and council elections of May 2016, lends support to complaints from constituency party officers about the levels of engagement of new members. |
| While almost nine out of 10 say they have tweeted in support of Labour or signed petitions, just over 60% have not attended a party meeting, only 15% have taken part in canvassing and only 28% delivered leaflets. | While almost nine out of 10 say they have tweeted in support of Labour or signed petitions, just over 60% have not attended a party meeting, only 15% have taken part in canvassing and only 28% delivered leaflets. |
| The survey found the average age has remained roughly the same, at 51, and members are well educated, predominantly middle class, and, contrary to the popular view, are not overwhelmingly from London, though there are slightly more from southern England compared with previous members. About 17% of the new members voted Green in the 2015 general election. | The survey found the average age has remained roughly the same, at 51, and members are well educated, predominantly middle class, and, contrary to the popular view, are not overwhelmingly from London, though there are slightly more from southern England compared with previous members. About 17% of the new members voted Green in the 2015 general election. |
| Sam Tarry, the director of Corbyn’s leadership campaign, a union political officer and one of the founders of Momentum, disputed that Momentum members were not engaged in electoral activity. “Not true,” he said. “During the London mayoral election, tens of thousands were out campaigning for Sadiq Khan.” | Sam Tarry, the director of Corbyn’s leadership campaign, a union political officer and one of the founders of Momentum, disputed that Momentum members were not engaged in electoral activity. “Not true,” he said. “During the London mayoral election, tens of thousands were out campaigning for Sadiq Khan.” |
| Part of the confusion, according to Momentum, is that new members do not want to be used just to ratify decisions made by MPs and to send out leaflets and go door-knocking. They want political discussion, they want to engage with other groups outside the party and they want to pioneer new ways of campaigning. | Part of the confusion, according to Momentum, is that new members do not want to be used just to ratify decisions made by MPs and to send out leaflets and go door-knocking. They want political discussion, they want to engage with other groups outside the party and they want to pioneer new ways of campaigning. |
| Another new member, Alice, 29, who did not want to give her surname, became a Labour party member the day Corbyn was elected leader in September last year. Originally from Manchester, she lives in London and is a Labour member in Camberwell and Peckham. | Another new member, Alice, 29, who did not want to give her surname, became a Labour party member the day Corbyn was elected leader in September last year. Originally from Manchester, she lives in London and is a Labour member in Camberwell and Peckham. |
| She has attended four meetings of the constituency Labour party and was surprised by the reaction of her local MP Harriet Harman, who she had hoped would have been excited to see a hall full of new members but instead reacted with caution and wariness. | She has attended four meetings of the constituency Labour party and was surprised by the reaction of her local MP Harriet Harman, who she had hoped would have been excited to see a hall full of new members but instead reacted with caution and wariness. |
| She was attending a Momentum fringe event but is not in Momentum. She does, however, share its belief in becoming more involved in local campaigns and has taken part in picketing in support of junior doctors at Waterloo. “I will get stuck in,” she promised. | She was attending a Momentum fringe event but is not in Momentum. She does, however, share its belief in becoming more involved in local campaigns and has taken part in picketing in support of junior doctors at Waterloo. “I will get stuck in,” she promised. |