You can have a voice

On the Letters page yesterday, Eleanor Davis of Buckley in Flintshire wrote to say that she had decided to join the Conservative Party in order to be able to take part in a forthcoming leadership contest. She also urged readers who were already members, but were disenchanted with Theresa May’s approach to Brexit, not to burn their cards but to stay in the party and encourage others to follow suit.

We agree with her sentiments. This is a critical time in our country’s recent history and opting out by not voting or cancelling party memberships is not to be encouraged. This does not mean we would like to see the sort of “entryism” that took place in the Labour Party when it opened up its membership to all comers for £5. Many had left to join fringe Left-wing groups in protest at the Blairite takeover of Labour, and their return ensured Jeremy Corbyn’s election as leader.

Conservative membership fell markedly in recent years to well below 100,000, although party officials say it has now recovered to about 125,000, boosted by a greater number of “activists”. Labour’s has risen close to 600,000. Brandon Lewis, the Conservative Party chairman, has set up a new central database and launched a marketing campaign to recruit more members.

For an annual fee of £25, the party promises members the opportunity to influence policy. They also have a role in electing the leader from two candidates chosen by MPS. As a proportion of the total electorate, party membership remains at historic low levels. But given the extraordinary events of the past few years, there has probably never been a more important time to engage with the political process.