The Labour Party has gained 100,000 new members since the EU referendum, taking it up to around half a million members.
The previous peak under Tony Blair of 405,000 has now easily been surpassed under Jeremy Corbyn’s reign, as the outspoken leader appeals to more grassroot supporters.
Despite Corbyn losing the faith of Labour MPs it seems the EU referendum has bolstered his popularity among the party’s members. Indeed, it is thought the boost in membership has come in a bid to defy the will of Labour MPs to overthrow their leader.
The surge mirrors September’s leadership election, during which more than 100,000 people paid £3 to register as affiliate Labour supporters so they could vote.
Mr Corbyn won a landslide victory with 59.5 per cent of the membership vote, compared to the 19 per cent of his closest rival Andy Burnham. This was despite Mr Corbyn struggling to get the 35 nominations needed to stand in the first place.
