Those scamps in the Lib Dem press office have clearly had a good Christmas, judging by their Twitter timeline this morning following up on the news that the party’s membership has increased in 2013…
The Liberal Democrats are the first governing party in recent history to have increased its membership while in power http://t.co/gijZXLUwiE
— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) December 30, 2013
.@LibDems expect our membership to rise by 700-800 in total in 2013. Not 200 as reported. That includes 2000 new members in Q4 alone.
— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) December 30, 2013
Of course, Q4 isn't over yet so it can't be an exact figure!
— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) December 30, 2013
@georgeeaton No problem. Remember you can always contact us before publishing something questioning our statements.
— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) December 30, 2013
Want to join a political party with a RISING MEMBERSHIP, who are working to build a stronger economy &fairer society? http://t.co/NeVVc1e4Do
— Jason Zadrozny (@jzadrozny) December 30, 2013
Labour Party members seem to be upset @libdems have an increased membership in 2013. Upset them more by joining here http://t.co/FlabDbO0Ae
— Alex Smethurst (@alex_mjs) December 30, 2013
Dear Twitterbots, we are happy with our 2000 new party members. We do not need your offers of 5000 new followers.
— Lib Dem Press Office (@LibDemPress) December 30, 2013
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7 Comments
Woo! Yay!
Your membership has only fallen by 34% whilst in power not 35% as before!
Misleading and too much spin from the Lib Dem press office. These targets and pressure sales tactics from the Lib Dem membership campaign are also wrong.
I might be being a bit pedantic, but we need to stop using this 2,000 figure when the net increase of 7-800 is the more accurate one to use. It seems every time one of the main parties publishes a stat it’s been fudged, and people wonder why voters are angry.
I love Alex’s tweet lol
There is a very good reason why our membership has started to creep up. The people who run the English Party have abandoned their policy for many years of squeezing the local party contribution from membership fees – a bone-headed policy they operated for too many years – and now provide a financial incentive for local parties to go out and collect subs, whether new ones, renewals or from lapsed members (many of whom only lapsed becuase no-one went to see them for their subs.
A very sensible change of policy which will go on having good (but) modest results.
But the PR tweeters and twits might devote their (possibly considerable) brainpower to other more relevant matters!
Tony
Spot on, Tony. And if local parties could retain 80% of the membership subs, just image what would happen!
Are there any free memberships in this, perhaps?
Not that you’re the only party who’d do that sort of thing, of course.