Labour membership a political party in the UK has fallen by nearly 200,000 since Keir Starmer became leader, according to the party’s latest accounts. Despite Labour’s landslide general election victory in July 2024, one in ten members left the party over the course of the year, with 37,215 departing in 2024 alone.
Labour’s membership stood at 333,235 at the end of last year, down significantly from its peak of 532,046 under former leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2019.
Despite the decline, Labour remains the largest political party in the UK. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, has seen a surge in support since the election, claiming 234,460 members via its website, though this figure was not verified in its official accounts.
Other parties also saw changes in membership:
Liberal Democrats: Fell slightly from 86,599 to 83,174
Green Party: Gained around 5,000 members
Conservatives: Do not routinely publish membership figures, but saw a £500,000 rise in income from membership fees. Around 131,680 members voted in last year’s Tory leadership contest, down 40,000 from the 2022 race.
Financial losses for Labour and Tories
Labour also reported a £3.8 million loss after spending £94.5 million during the most expensive general election in UK history. The Conservative Party spent £52 million and posted a loss of £1.9 million.
By contrast, smaller parties recorded surpluses:
Reform UK: £1.5 million surplus
Liberal Democrats: £1.1 million surplus
Green Party: £232,457 surplus
Corbyn Launches Rival Party
Jeremy Corbyn, now expelled from Labour, has launched a new left-wing party alongside former Labour MP Zarah Sultana — a possible challenge to Starmer’s leadership from the left.
Labour submitted its accounts late to the Electoral Commission, instead publishing them on its own website. A party spokesperson blamed administrative delays and said the documents would be published by the Commission imminently. The Commission confirmed it would consider the late submission in line with our enforcement policy.
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