Pemberton, HR

Wickham-Jones, M

British Politics

English

Hugh Pemberton

Mark Wickham-Jones

Crossref

Labour's lost grassroots: The rise and fall of party membership

After years of declining membership, and in the wake of a general election in which it recorded its lowest share of the popular vote since 1983, the Labour party is again attempting to attract new members. It aims to ‘get back to being a party rooted in communities’ via initiatives such as Refounding Labour (to make participation in the party more attractive) and Movement for Change (which is attempting to create a 10,000-strong cadre of community organisers). This is not, of course, the first time that Labour has attempted to re-create a mass-membership. New Labour deployed many of the same techniques between 1994 and 1997. This article both assesses the extent of the current membership crisis and explores that earlier experience. In doing so, it considers the lessons for the party today both of New Labour’s initial success in attracting new members and of its ultimate failure to retain them.After years of declining membership, and in the wake of a general election in which it recorded its lowest share of the popular vote since 1983, the Labour party is trying to increase the number of its members. This is not, of course, the first time that Labour has attempted to re-create a mass-membership. New Labour deployed many of the same techniques between 1994 and 1997. This article both assesses the extent of the current membership crisis and explores that earlier experience. In doing so, it considers the lessons for the party today both of New Labour’s initial success in attracting new members and of its ultimate failure to retain them

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Labour's lost grassroots:The rise and fall of party membership

https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/files/8434495/Labour_s_Lost_Grassroots_BP_FINAL.pdf

Labour's lost grassroots:The rise and fall of party membership

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