The remarkable growth in the Labour Party’s membership since May has been widely commented on nationally. Latest official figures put total membership at just over 350,000, well ahead of the Conservatives’ estimated 100,000 members.
So far, pundits have spent their time speculating on what effect these new members will have on the character of the Labour Party and the prospect of intra-party strife over contentious policies such as renewal of Trident and the power of local constituencies to recall MPs. As (self?) important as these concerns are, I can’t help but feel they are taking attention away from the big question that confronts us, namely what future cat-themed Labour blogs will have under a Corbyn leadership?
Fortunately, if my experiences in Bournville are anything to go by I believe cat blogs will continue to occupy a place of affection in the Corbyn era.
How do I know this? Just yesterday, Liz Clements (@LizClements on Twitter), a returning party member, emailed me a photo of a cat she had spotted whilst out campaigning over the weekend. And given Bournville’s membership has grown by 66% since May I would like to believe Liz won’t be the last person to share with me a pic for Cats of the Campaign Trail.
And what a cracking cat Liz spotted. The cat is doing its best death stare and with its left eye a different colour to its right, it has got a David Bowie vibe.
In these uncertain times for Labour I hope local parties will welcome their new members and encourage them to make a positive contribution. I for one am looking forward to working with new members like Liz to help Labour connect with local people (and to grow Cats of the Campaign Trail along the way).
Cats of the campaign trail 