How do you make someone join a political party? Never Mind The Bar Charts with Tim Bale
As it’s a bank holiday weekend, here’s a return outing for the most popular episode of Never Mind The Bar Charts so far this year. In it, Professor Tim Bale, one of the leading experts in political party membership, talks about who joins parties, why they join and how those who join the Liberal Democrats differ from those who join other parties.
Plus he gives his top tips on how to persuade people to join a party.
Show notes
- Footsoldiers: political party membership in the 21st century.
- Why supporters don’t always join parties.
- The research on how to get members involved.
- Five Year Mission: Tim Bale’s study of Ed Miliband.
- Tim Bale used the phrase, “That’s a great question”. Here’s a whole other podcast episode just about that phase, from Freakonomics.
- The earlier Never Mind The Bar Charts show with Paula Surridge.
- The preamble to the Liberal Democrat constitution.
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People join a political party when they are fired up with a passionate concern over a topic. Which is put across with equal passion by a particular party from the grassroots to the leadership. Singing the same song. Axe the Tax,was one Anti Iraq war another 1p on income tax for Education another. clear concise message underpinning a political philosophy. Style of leadership is important but equally is the clear and consistent message that resonates with people in there communities. Put the 2 together and people will join a political party campaign within it and lead others to vote for it.
Our opposition to the Iraq war didn’t, however, produce a significant boost in the party’s membership (or in the party’s local government base), Brian – see the data at https://www.markpack.org.uk/143767/liberal-democrat-membership-figures/. That’s why I think the other factors Tim talks about in the show are so important.