Summary
The Liberal Democrat party in the UK has seen its membership decrease by about half over the past five years, now having 60,000 members compared to almost 118,000 in 2020. Despite this decline, the party had electoral success, winning many seats in the recent general elections. Other parties, like the Green Party, have seen a rise in membership during the same period.
Key Facts
- Liberal Democrat membership decreased from nearly 118,000 in 2020 to 60,000.
- This membership change comes despite their recent electoral success.
- The Green Party's membership increased to 90,000, a 91% rise from 2020.
- The Liberal Democrats had increased members before Brexit due to their second referendum campaign.
- They include "registered supporters" in membership figures, who cannot vote on party policies.
- Labour Party membership fell by 37% since 2020, with about 333,235 members at the end of last year.
- There is no legal obligation for UK political parties to publish membership figures.
- Tim Bale's research found that the Liberal Democrats are very active in voter canvassing.
