| Save the Labour Party |
| NEWS RELEASE 05/04
Campaigners welcome possible end to loss of Labour Party members London, 29 June Campaigners in Save the Labour Party today welcomed signs that the massive drop in Labour Party membership since Tony Blair was appointed Prime Minister has come to an end. Latest figures were revealed at the bi-monthly meeting of the Party’s ruling national executive committee earlier today. This showed that membership has steadied in the latest three months at around 208,000 – a drop of nearly 50% compared with 1997. This follows pressure on the party hierarchy to inform members about the true membership position. Peter Kenyon, chair of the grassroots body said, “We welcome the fact that the fall in membership has apparently come to an end. We claim some credit for having actively discouraged members from leaving. What is needed now are positive steps on the part of the leadership to rebuild the Party and encourage active campaigning in the general election campaign for a 3rd Labour government.” For the last 18 months since war loomed with Iraq, national membership figures have remained a closely guarded secret even from the Party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC). The case for early publication was made in an exchange of letters with the independent political watchdog set up by Parliament, the Electoral Commission and Labour Party general secretary Matt Carter. Normally they are not available to members until two weeks before Annual Conference. Under new laws brought in by Labour to clean up politics, all parties have to disclose their membership figures and corporate governance arrangements. Statements of Accounts have to be filed with the Electoral Commission. The deadline for large political parties is in less than a month on 7 July. Unlike last year the NEC was presented today with the draft accounts for approval prior to publication according to NEC members at the meeting. These showed that at the end of 2003 membership had fallen to 214,952, a fall of 13.4% from the end of 2002. ends Media enquiries: Peter Kenyon Mobile 07802 216 591 eMail: peter.g.kenyon@btinternet.com Notes to Editors 1. Save the Labour Party is a voluntary association, open to all Labour Party members and affiliates and includes members from the left, right and centre of the Labour Party committed to democratic socialism. 2. Details of its activities – past present and future can be seen at: www.savethelabourparty.org |