Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
The Conservative conference looks a bit awkward because barely anyone’s turned up [IMAGES]
The Conservative conference looks a bit awkward, because barely anyone has turned up. The main conference hall was noticeably empty when Conference Chairman Andrew Sharpe took the stage:
Maybe a smaller room next year? #CPC17 pic.twitter.com/h4ZJ50K7FB
— Will Rayner (@WillRayner__) October 1, 2017
‘Where is everyone?’
Even Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson couldn’t come close to filling the hall on 1 October. Daily Mail journalist Andrew Pierce was left wondering where everyone was:
Read on...
Even 4 @RuthDavidsonMSP one of the great Tory stars the conference hall is half empty. Where is everyone
— Andrew Pierce (@toryboypierce) October 1, 2017
Ruth Davidson speech at #CPC17 was actually half empty pic.twitter.com/7zxawvtwH3
— aʟi Hendrick (@The45Storm) October 1, 2017
Step away from the main hall, and the conference looks a bit like a ghost town:
I repeat… where the hell is everyone? pic.twitter.com/Kn1c7JCJRY
— Chris Rumfitt (@chrisrumfitt) October 1, 2017
Even Telegraph journalist Michael Deacon was taking the mick:
If you're arriving late for the speeches at Tory conference, don't worry, still one or two seats left pic.twitter.com/Qf6UIBXAei
— Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) October 1, 2017
And Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner, didn’t hold back:
The Conservative announcements on education policy today in Manchester were as empty as the conference hall itself #CPC17
— Angela Rayner (@AngelaRayner) October 1, 2017
Unfortunately for the Conservatives, the conference wasn’t just having a slow first day. Before midday on 2 October, the main hall looked even emptier:
"Why it's not I but Nicola Sturgeon who is out of touch with the common people!" screams David Mundell to an empty room. #CPC17 pic.twitter.com/8bzLGtruHA
— Stephen Paton 🍂 (@stephenpaton134) October 2, 2017
The Canary approached the Conservative Party for comment, but had received none at the time of publication.
‘Smell of decay’
The Conservative Party’s falling membership corresponds with its lack of grassroots attendance. On top of losing a parliamentary majority, Conservative membership has dropped to around 100,000, according to Conservative Home. When put into historical context, such a low membership figure is even more striking. At its peak in 1953, the Conservative Party reportedly boasted about 2.8 million [pdf, section 2.2, p8] members. Labour peaked around the same time, enjoying over 1 million [pdf, section 2.2, p8] members.
Today, it’s all changed. The Conservative Party has refused to publish membership figures since 2013, when the figure stood at 134,000. This led Conservative Home to say:
Any organisation that won’t declare a figure has the smell of decay about it. Will 2018 be the year when Tory membership drops to below six figures?
By contrast, Labour Party membership had reportedly skyrocketed to 552,000 by June this year. That’s an increase of around 380,000 since Labour supporters elected Jeremy Corbyn as leader.
Last week, the packed Labour conference seemed to reflect the swelling grassroots support for the party:
Labour Conference #Lab17
last week : #ForTheMany
Conservative Conference #CPC17 this week : #ForTheFew pic.twitter.com/ETCFGsEAyh— Labour Left (@LabourLeft) October 2, 2017
Conference hall packed to the rafters for Corbyn's closing speech at #Lab17 pic.twitter.com/cAvWZu39dm
— Adam Payne (@adampayne26) September 27, 2017
It doesn’t seem so promising for the ruling party. This week, the Conservative conference looks embarrassingly empty. In order to galvanise grassroots support, the party needs an inspiring vision. But even a Telegraph editorial recently conceded that the “momentum in British politics is with Jeremy Corbyn”.
Get Involved!
– Join The Canary, so we can keep holding the powerful to account.
Featured image via BBC Parliament [11.51] and screenshot
We need your help to keep speaking the truth
Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.
Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.
We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.
In return, you get:
* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop
Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.
With your help we can continue:
* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do
We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?
Support us 
