Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour lost more than 45,000 members in 2018, but it remained by far the largest UK political party by membership.
The decline in membership in 2018 came amid dissatisfaction with Mr Corbyn’s performance as leader and the party’s equivocal stance on Brexit. That dissatisfaction has intensified in subsequent months, with Labour losing seats in both local and European elections.
Labour’s membership fell from 564,000 at the end of 2017 to 519,000 at the end of last year, according to the party’s annual accounts published by the Electoral Commission on Thursday. That is still more than the combined membership of the Conservatives (159,000), the Liberal Democrats (107,000), the Scottish National party (126,000), and the Greens (48,500).
The Conservatives’ membership rose by about 36,000 in the year to July, ahead of their leadership contest.
The creation of a mass membership party was one of the major achievements of Mr Corbyn, who was elected leader in 2015 on a wave of enthusiasm from young and leftwing supporters.
Since losing the 2017 general election by an unexpectedly narrow margin, Mr Corbyn has struggled to maintain his supporters’ enthusiasm. He has faced continued questions over his handling of anti-Semitism complaints within the party.
However, Labour’s accounts showed that the party maintains a strong financial position. In 2018 its income totalled £45.7m, well ahead of the Conservatives’ £34.3m, thanks in part to government funding for the Opposition and large membership income. Despite the decline in membership, member revenues rose 5 per cent to nearly £17m.
Labour said its finances were “in good health” and it was “ready to fight the [general] election whenever it may called”. Senior Conservatives have suggested an election could take place in early November, although a vote could be called even sooner than that.
Both main parties saw their revenues fall last year compared with 2017, when there was a general election. Labour said its costs had increased by £3m in 2018, when adjusted for the lack of a general election; it called this spending on an extra 50 staff and activities an “investment now for future elections”.
The Conservatives’ net liabilities rose two-thirds during 2018 to £5.3m. That came before many donors effectively stopped funding the party, due to their frustration at then leader Theresa May’s Brexit policy.
Mick Davis, the former chief executive of mining company Xstrata, stepped down as the party’s chief executive in July, as Mrs May left office.
