Not really. My membership - on the day Corbyn was elected, and my first ever membership of a political part (nearly my first ever membership of anything come to that) - and that of tens of thousands of others will make up for it.
Not is my experience of the 'new' members is widespread.
Theoretically membership in my constituency has increased by 50% - so you'd expect loads of new, keen people at meetings, out canvassing, delivering leaflet, getting stuck in talking to the electorate, putting themselves forward to stand as candidates for the local elections in May etc etc.
But not a sniff - these new members are invisible - not a single one has turned up a our branch meetings through the Autumn, not a single new person on the delivery rounds etc etc. If this kind of new member is replacing stalwart activist, doers, who actually get out there and put in the leg work to make a difference, then heaven help us.
So as a new member how many doors have you knocked on, phone calls have you made, leaflets have you delivered? In the first few months of my membership, back in 1996 I must have knocked on hundreds of doors, delivered more leaflets than you can throw a stick at, talked to hundreds of local electors etc etc. That's the kind of member you need, and I'm not convinced that the new members are like that - my own experience is that their levels of political activism probably extends little beyond shouting at Question Time from their armchair or perhaps having a 'nice' political debate at a dinner party.
