Labour has rejected claims that its membership has dropped by 150,000 since 2017, labelling the reports as a “total fabrication”. The Sunday Times had reported that membership, which exceeded 500,000 in 2017, now stands at around 385,000, with party sources attributing the decline to leader Jeremy Corbyn’s stance on a second EU referendum.
General Secretary Jennie Formby stated: “This is total fabrication. More people are joining Labour every week than resigning.” The party declined to provide official figures, stating it does not brief on membership numbers and that such data is not publicly available. A Labour spokesperson added: “This story is not true. The figures are completely made up.”
While membership naturally fluctuates, some sources suggested the drop was linked to Corbyn’s Brexit position. One source told the Sunday Times: “Although there is always some drop off in membership after big events like general elections, or a leadership contest, this is more than you would ordinarily expect and has led many of us to think it’s linked to Jeremy’s unpopular stance on Brexit.” Corbyn has resisted backing a new referendum to avoid alienating Leave voters in northern England, instead pushing for a general election.
The reported membership slump is said to have left the party £6 million short. A source revealed: “The party is skint. There have already been some recriminations about the amount spent on last summer’s botched music festival Labour Live.” The source added that a second referendum would be welcomed by many remaining members and could help stem financial losses.
