Labour Party income is up and its membership is down, so it’s clear what this is all leading to

New Electoral Commission figures show that Labour Party membership has fallen by tens of thousands over the past two years. At the same time, its total income has skyrocketed. There’s only one reason for this, and nowhere is it more evident than at its annual conference.

Labour’s income is a dead giveaway

On 24 August, the Electoral Commission published the accounting figures of Britain’s political parties for the year to 31 December 2022. It revealed that the Labour Party took more than £47m over the year, equating to nearly half of the £99.9m income across 18 of 19 large parties in the country. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party took just £30m.

This isn’t in itself surprising news. The Labour Party’s income topped the Tories last year too. However, it was paired with another piece of crucial news: that membership had once again fallen. The Guardian said membership had dropped by nearly 25,000 since 2021, to a total of 407,445. Party membership showed its most recent peak in 2019, at 532,046.

The Electoral Commission’s breakdown of the numbers shows party membership remained the highest single contributor, with donations a close second. However, it also showed that the balance is tipping away from membership and trade unions towards private donations and companies.

All of this means Labour is now drawing on a smaller but more affluent audience to fund its activities – and its party conference this year makes that clear.

Arms, spies and fossil fuels

A day before the Electoral Commission published its figures, OpenDemocracy reported on the sponsors for the Labour conference’s fringe events.

Partners and sponsors for this year’s New Statesman Media Group’s (NSMG) programme include arms manufacturers Babcock and Boeing, defence contractor Northrop Grumman, CIA-linked intelligence firm Palantir, and a range of fossil fuel companies – including Cadent, National Gas, and Offshore Energies UK.

OpenDemocracy said that:

The party has been slammed for playing host to these industries by environmental groups and anti-weapon groups, who call the sponsorships “disgusting and disappointing.” Its own MP Clive Lewis has also questioned why Labour is “cosying up” to some of the organisations involved.

Several of these companies also sponsored NSMG’s 2022 fringe event, including Babcock, Cadent, and Offshore Energies UK.

People on social media were similarly scathing, including rapper Lowkey, who used the news to draw a connection between the current Labour Party and that of former leader Tony Blair:

It makes sense that the Labour Party conference this year is sponsored by arms companies Boeing and Babcock as well as CIA intelligence firm Palantir.

In 2001, the first year of the war on terror, the Labour Party had 27,490 shares in BAE Systems.

— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) August 24, 2023

Prem Sikka, Labour peer and former advisor to Jeremy Corbyn, questioned leader Keir Starmer‘s intentions:

Weapons manufacturers, private health firms, banks, energy, fossil fuel companies and a spyware firm is sponsoring events at Labour Party conference.

Some of these sponsors have been engaged in nefarious practices. Why is Keir Starmer cosying up to them?https://t.co/4GTOIohyuy

— Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) August 24, 2023

A range of campaign groups were likewise appalled by the news:

‘Labour conference set to host weapons manufacturers and spyware firm’

Join us and @StopTheArmsFair on 7 September at the huge DSEI arms fair in London to say no to profiting from death, and yes to a just & peaceful world.@BritishQuakers @paxchristiEW https://t.co/sgixQF7SkT

— Quaker Roots: resisting the arms trade (@Quakers_RoR) August 25, 2023

Labour conference set to host weapons manufacturers and spyware firm. Poor show by Labour – these companies should not be given this legitimacy https://t.co/2Vlzd3zTY1

— London CAAT (@londoncaat) August 24, 2023

Weapons manufacturers, fossil fuel companies and a spyware firm will be sponsoring events at Labour Party conference. Hugely disappointing to see contributors to climate crisis, global conflict & insecurity given power and access to our political system. https://t.co/NCLmlsimJe

— Medact (@Medact) August 24, 2023

Votes don’t win elections, money does

It’s important to be clear that these companies aren’t sponsoring the conference directly. They are sponsoring NSMG’s fringe event. However, the New Statesman has a long-running cosy relationship with Labour’s right wing. OpenDemocacy reported that NSMG billed a partnership with the media company as:

an opportunity to “showcase your brand, generate leads, nurture relationships,” with “policy makers and politicians.”

However, they also reveal how the corporate capture of the Labour Party is ramping up just in time for the next general election. Another example can be seen in Judy Botterill, Labour candidate for Ossett and Denby Dale, West Yorkshire. People on social media quickly pointed out she was a lobbyist for Yorkshire Water, which has massively polluted the region’s water.

Combine that with Starmer’s special relationship with Rupert Murdoch and it’s clear which way ‘left wing’ politics is heading. The next election might bring a Labour government, but it isn’t likely to be one that will act in the interests of the people.

Featured image via Labour Party/YouTube