Are Parties in Decline?

This final lesson examines one of the most important debates in A-Level Politics: are political parties in decline? We consider evidence of falling membership, declining loyalty, and growing disillusionment, but also assess whether parties remain indispensable to the democratic system.

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Evidence of Party Decline

1. Falling Membership

Party membership has declined dramatically since the mid-20th century:

Year	Conservative Membership	Labour Membership
1950s	~2.8 million	~1 million
1980s	~1.2 million	~300,000
2010	~150,000	~190,000
2017	~124,000	~564,000 (Corbyn effect)
2024	~140,000 (est.)	~370,000 (est.)

• Total party membership across all parties is a fraction of what it was in the 1950s
• The brief surge in Labour membership under Corbyn proved temporary
• The Conservatives' membership is ageing and not being replenished at the same rate

2. Class Dealignment

Class dealignment refers to the weakening of the traditional link between social class and party support: