Labour Party membership figures will no longer be reported to its National Executive Committee. The practice has ended supposedly to end ‘leaks’ but the real reason is these figures are an embarrassment to the right-wing Labour Party establishment.
Figures in the press have shown that Labour’s membership is falling, and falling rapidly. From over half a million members when anti-austerity Jeremy Corbyn was leader to now only 309,000. Between the end of November last year and the start of February, the Labour Party lost a member every ten minutes!
And it’s no wonder. Why would you want to be a member of a party that abolished universal winter fuel payments, is increasing tuition fees, and is preparing brutal austerity measures?
And if you are a member, or your trade union is affiliated to Labour and hands over piles of dosh every year, what say do you have over the direction it is heading? Despite Labour Party conference voting in favour of renationalising Royal Mail, Starmer’s Labour has presided over it being handed off to another billionaire, just one example of the undemocratic character of the pro-big business Labour Party.
Corbyn’s programme was popular because it offered an alternative to the austerity consensus of establishment politicians. We need a party that represents the working class, that stands up to austerity and big business bosses, and fights for us.
Sign the petition: Time for trade unions to take the lead in forming a new working class party
