Oddbean

@b870d4c8 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 Mate, they're independently small in number, but it's estimated they add up to 500k if added together Also remember, many of their activists aren't registered with any political party. They mobilise where & when needed This is why they're so laughable! They are so loud, vociferous & vocal, yet they can't organise themselves into one coherent political force Instead the choose to infest social media bellyaching about Sir Keir #Starmer & #Labour🙄

@0f342e77 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 Estimated by who? When I look at election results I generally see parties like that getting a few hundred votes, so I'd need data to be convinced otherwise. What is possible is there's a general crowd of people who are politically on the left of labour but who never do anything organised, until they were inspired by the party under Corbyn. But people joining because of Corbyn is the opposite of Corbyn being created by them.

@b870d4c8 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 Your last paragraph is it. Thousands of them are like political sleeper agents. They have the right to vote, but aren't members of any political party per se. It's the hardcore who form the membership of these tiny parties. I looked into it on #Twitter when in discussion with the far left. Several of them explained their "Left Wave" numbers, & how they can effect voting. But because they're dispersed everywhere, they more mouth than a real force

@b870d4c8 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 To a degree, but there are thousands on the far left who describe themselves as #Anarchists & #UrbanWarriors. Wherever there's social discord & a protest march, they're there. They love a protest & a fight! They think sitting down & formulating a plan is boring. Why do that when you can organise a huge protest march, have #Corbyn as a keynote speaker, whilst Drum & Bass is banging away in the background. There's a festival community of them. 🤷🏾‍♂️

@0f342e77 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 My point is just that they were attracted into the Labour party by Corbyn being elected leader, rather than he was elected leader because they had joined. I'm happy to identify as an anarchist, but I agree that a lot of people who do so aren't willing to commit to building long-term organisation and political power, unfortunately.

@b870d4c8 @a8a3ca9d @ee4cb8b5 @02439a38 Nope. Miliband changed the leadership process to one person one vote. Momentum was then formed within the far left fringe of #Labour & went on an insane far left membership drive #Corbyn threw his hat in the Leadership ring, & the unlikeliest of outsider candidates became Labour leader Because of this coup, Labour have since changed their rules. Members can't take part in candidate selection voting, until they've been in the party for 6 months.